Yami's And Hikari's
by Venquine1990
Summary: Yami enters the spirit realm - and finds out he's NOT THE PHARAOH? What does this mean for him? Can he go back? And why does he have to take Bakura and Malik along? Join him and the other Yami's as they discover their feelings and the 21st century. WARNING MALEXMALE SLASH and lots of HikarixYamifluff, humor and possessive-overprotective Yami's! Rated M for Safety Measures!
1. Yami's New Destiny

**Yami's And Hikari's  
><strong>**Chapter 01  
><strong>**Yami's new Destiny**

"I can't believe this is happening! You get told for almost four years you're the Pharaoh, get told you need to leave your friends for people you barely remember even with your so-called memories awakened and when you've finally done all you've been told to do, you find out you're not who everyone constantly says you are?  
>My life sucks!" Goes through my mind as I stand in front of Atem, who resembles me almost identically bar the stronger tan and the way he leans a little further back as he has his arms crossed, while people that aren't even my friends are in front of me and my actual friends are now behind doors that will never open again.<br>Then Atem's father, King Aknamkanon, appears before me and looks down at me as he says: "We have been awaiting you. Come, there is not much time." This only makes me feel even angrier and while my respect for royalty makes me follow the man, do I silently fume as I think: "Do I seriously have to fight evil even in the Afterlife?"

But then the man takes me to a quiet room where the sandstone made walls are strong enough that they actually keep the bright white light that exists all around the Afterlife, and of which I am starting to believe the Afterlife itself is created from, out of the room before he sits me and himself down on a comfortable soft round couch.  
>Keeping my anger shown on my face as I still feel annoyed for being here when I obviously don't belong here as I have apparently been lied to for the last few years, do I hear the man say: "I understand your anger, Imay and I wish to ehlp you as you are indeed correct, you do not belong here." This shocks me and I ask: "How can you –?"<br>And the man answers: "As leader of this section of the Afterlife is it my duty to make sure that those who live under me have all they desire for when they arrive here. Therefore did the gods provide me with a sixth sense where I can read the most obvious – only the most obvious – thoughts and desires of all subjects who come here after passing on."

At this I nod, while keeping my eyes on the man, not out of respect but out of wariness and the Pharaoh says: "Imay Atemu, you are the guardian of the Millennium Puzzle, nothing more, nothing less. However, you have lived alongside so many people the last four years that you have made yourself something more; you have made yourself a Yami."  
>This both intrigues me and makes me wonder if the title is the reason the man keeps calling me Imay as that name is just Yami written backwards and then the man smiles before he says: "You really must learn to think a little softer, little Spirit. Then again, after your life, I do not believe you have any experience in keeping your thoughts from others."<br>And this again makes me think of the one person who means more to me than anyone has ever done and without really wanting, do I lower my head a little, lie my elbows on my knees and whisper: "Yugi." Longing yet again to be part of him, something I have been longing for since our bodies were separated for the Ceremonial Duel.  
>The Pharaoh nods and says: "Yugi Moto, the one who completed my son's Puzzle, who's very essence created you and who became your Hikari because you, involuntarily – perhaps even instinctively – kept strengthening the bond you had with him." This makes a small smile appear on my face, for once glad the man understands my every thought and word.<p>

Then the man suddenly lies a hand on my shoulder and whispers: "You do not belong here, Imay. You belong with Yugi." And I hiss at him: "Tell me something I don't know." The rudeness being nothing more than my own anger coming out at the unfairness of me being here when I should have been on the other side of those doors – where Yugi is.  
>However, the man seems not to take offense to my rudeness and says: "I can, as there's a way for you to return to him." This shocks me, makes my eyes widen, my now immortal heart beat a dozen times faster and makes me look at the man in shock, who now looks as serious as he did when he first picked me up from the doors and he says:<br>"However, as I said, to accomplish this feet, we must hurry as time is certainly our enemy in this situation." This makes me get thin lips and I raise a fist at the man as I say: "Even if Destiny herself were my enemy I will fight her if it means getting back to my little Yugi." And the man nods, his eyes showing his pride as he says:

"You will not go alone, however." This shocks me and the man says: "You are not the only Yami in existence, Imay. There are two others, two who you yourself have faced, defeated and with that given the chance to be cleansed of their darkness, just like Yugi cleansed you after you were taken over by the Stone of Oricalchos."  
>The sound of this name makes me cringe and I ask: "Who will accompany me?" And my heart stops as my blood freezes at the sound of the names: "Malik and Bakura." Immediately a thousand memories of what those two monsters have been causing me rush through my mind, only to be stopped by the Pharaoh as he raises his hand and says:<br>"They are not the same as you remember." To which I whisper: "I sure hope you're right in that." As I just can't silently stand the thought of having to protect my precious Yugi against them all over again, not with all the pain they have already caused him, Malik during the finals and Bakura with all he did to stop them from helping me in the Pharaoh's memories.  
>The man nods and says: "They have both been cleansed, Imay, as they too were born as guardians of their own Millennium Items. However, because the Tomb Keepers family was obsessed with their rules, so much so that Marik's father used the Millennium Rod against his own son and because Zorc's memories were locked within the Ring –."<br>And before he even ends his explanation, do I whisper: "Did those two forces of Darkness turn the Guardians into what the Seal of Oricalchos made me when I first used it." And the Pharaoh nods as I ask: "So they are like me when Yugi and the others had their holiday in Canada?" And another nod makes me sigh in relief.

Then the man sits up a little more straight and I realize I will probably soon be leaving for this new adventure, the man nodding again to indicate that my thoughts are correct before he says: "Listen Imay, while the magic of Afterlife may make the time outside move increasingly slowly, the opposite can be said for the Shadow Realm.  
>There, for every day you will remain there on your mission, a month will pass in the Living Realm. However, this is our biggest enemy as without you – a Darkness not affected by his evil side – the three Hikari's will suffer from a Mental, Physical or Emotional Breakdown each and that will result with their death within a year."<br>This shocks me senseless and makes me want to move to the Shadow Realm right away as I don't want to waste anymore time, even if in the real world only a few seconds might have passed by now and the Pharaoh nods as he says: "Your goal, Imay, is to find the Millennium Puzzle, Ring and Rod together with Malik and Bakura.  
>Once you have found them, you will be able to restore the bonds you have with your Hikari's, return to them and be able to have a body for yourself. However, you must remember that you only have 12 days to get this done as Yugi will not pass into the same Afterlife as where you are now and once you are in the Shadow Realm, there is no coming back here."<br>I nod again, the words only making me more determined as I just can't stand the thought of my little Yugi killing himself and the Pharaoh nods back before suddenly standing up, making me mimic his movements out of pure shock before he softly, almost caringly tells me: "Good luck, Imay." And with that do I feel the ground under my feet vanish.

I feel myself falling from sandstone walls and pure white light into nothing but dark blue, purple and black shadows crawling around me, slithering like snakes and twisting around themselves to apparently form the Shadow Realm and the first thing my eyes see once they have gotten used to the change from Light to Darkness – is the other two Yami's.  
>Malik still looks the same as what I remember of him from during our Battle City Finals, yet I can tell just by his stance and how he carries himself that the man indeed no longer feels obsessed with getting the Puzzle, sending people to the Shadow Realm or overpowering his other half, even if the man doesn't look happy to see me either.<br>Bakura, on the other hand, doesn't look like the Crazy Tomb Robber I met only yesterday and while he still reminds me of the many crazy psychopath forms I met of him during Duelist Kingdom and Battle City, can I tell by a single glance that the man's goals have changed completely and that they now concern matters of the Light and good, instead of insane and evil.

"And what made you come here, Pharaoh?" The man then asks and I say: "Imay, not the Pharaoh." Making both of them raise an eyebrow at me and I ask: "Don't you find it strange I don't have an Egyptian tan?" But while the two look at each other, do I realize that while playing with them, I am also wasting time and I quickly say:  
>"Listen, this is no time for games." To which Malik asks: "The King of Games saying it's not time for a game? Now that's rich." But my glare, strengthened by the need to find the Puzzle and get back to Yugi before it's too late, silences him within seconds and I say: "Every day we waste here a month passes in the real world."<br>At this Bakura puts his hands behind his hair with his eyes closed and with his legs crossed, does he ask: "What should we care?" And I snap: "You should care, because I am here to get you back to your Hikari's, you Baka!" The Japanese Curse rolling off my tongue with ease, while both other Yami's tense in shock as they look at me.  
>"Pharaoh Aknamkanon sent me here, because all three of us are Yami's and we need to return to our Hikari's – our Lights – if we don't want the separation of them and us to cause them such painful breakdowns they go and kill themselves. Now let's go find those Millennium Items or we'll never be able to save them!"<p>

I shout in the end, shooting forward and moving my body like I used to when I was still a spirit floating alongside Yugi's and the two dazed from shock Yami's follow me, their eyes faded slightly, but still focused enough for my liking as we all turn our faces in every direction possible, trying to find the Millennium Items.  
>Minutes float by as we search, sometimes splitting up and then coming back to look a little closer at something and suddenly Malik asks: "What Items exactly are we looking for here?" And I answer hastily: "The Puzzle, Rod and Ring." The Psycho hums and asks: "And what about the Millennium Stone, will that do?"<br>And I want to turn around to snap at him, when I see that he is staring at something above him. looking up myself, do my eyes widen as I see the actual Millennium Stone, a round stone with several indents where the Items are supposed to be, but who are now empty and I say: "If the Stone is hanging up there –."  
>And Bakura finishes my sentence as he looks around again and says: "Then that means the Items should be around here." I nod and say: "Spread out again. The sooner we find the Puzzle, Rod and Ring, the sooner we can save our Hikari's from themselves." And this seems to inspire the other two as they float away swiftly.<p>

I turn around myself and float around, looking everywhere I can, trying to pull and push away the tendrils of Dark Shadow Magic that I feel hanging around and while my instincts are shouting at me that the magic somehow feels dangerously familiar, do I ignore this feeling in my growing need of finding the Items first.  
>After several minutes, which for some reason feel like hours, do I return back to where we saw the Millennium Stone and see Bakura and Malik there as well, neither of them holding an Item. This worries me and I ask: "Nothing?" And the two shake their heads, making me want to scream as I fear for Yugi's safety the longer I stay here.<br>"All I saw were a bunch of Duel Monsters standing on strange ancient platforms that looked similar to the Egyptian ones, but then looked more ancient and were alight with some green magic." Bakura says and Malik nods before he says: "Same here, along with the fact that those same signs seem to be glowing on their foreheads."

And just by those words do my instincts finally push through to my needs to find the Puzzle, only for my blood to freeze again and I whisper: "G-g-gre-green platforms? Si-si-signs on – on – on their – their foreheads?" And while the two first share a worried glance, do they then nod at me again and I whisper in pure fear:  
>"The Oricalchos. It – it – it's here. In the Shadow Realm. And – and if the Oricalchos is here, then – then the – the Leviathan is too." Then I suddenly notice how the two are looking over my head and Malik asks: "Just a question. Is this Leviathan perhaps a black dragon with blue wings, purple front and taller than the Egyptian Gods?"<br>And upon turning around am I only seconds too soon in my ability to evade the Monster as he opens his mouth wide and attacks me, my soul skimming just slightly past some of his wings and my fellow Yami's shouting in shock as they too evade the Leviathan, who makes several flips to float in front of us one more time.  
>Looking at the beast that is the living representation of my greatest defeat, that to my own inner darkness, do I silently whisper: "Yugi, where are you when I need you most, my Aibou?" Only to suddenly see the Leviathan shrink back only a little – barely enough for me to really notice – as if hit by something I can't see.<p>

"What just happened there?" Bakura asks and Malik says: "It looked like something attacked that beast, but we're the only ones here." And I look at the creature again as it shakes its head, its tail coming up to rub over the top, making me realize what is going on and I shout: "He's reading my mind, just like the Pharaoh did!"  
>The two look at me shocked and I smile in certain victory, understanding within seconds what caused the Leviathan the mental pain and I whisper: "Even when he's not here by my side, Yugi provides me with all the support I need to conquer even the strongest beings of Darkness. He is after all my Light, my Hikari!" I shout in the end.<br>This shout again causes the Leviathan to back away even further and I shout: "Bakura, Malik, think of your Hikari's. The Leviathan can't stand the thoughts of such powerful Lights. Focus on your Hikari's and we can beat this monster for once and for all. Think of this as your last cleansing!" And with that I let thousands of images fly through my mind.

Images of Yugi standing beside me as I duel his enemies. Images of Yugi assembling our deck and preparing our cards, taking care of them and making sure they don't wear out or get damaged too much. Images of Yugi holding onto me or taking my hand as he shouts his support of me when I feel like I'm trapped in a corner or something.  
>All these images, together with all my thoughts and all my emotions – my love, my loyalty, my hope, my happiness – that I have constantly felt in my heart, come out of me and I feel it attacking the Leviathan, the beast screaming and roaring in pain before the sound slowly dies out, my re-opened eyes seeing it vanish in dust clouds.<br>Then suddenly do I feel something strong and powerful wrapped around my neck and I look down, my eyes widening when I see the Millennium Puzzle, an upturned pyramid with the Eye of Ugash placed in the front, hanging around my neck and I think: "The memories made the bond between me and Aibou strong enough to summon the Puzzle."

"Same here." The other two Yami's then chorus and looking up, do I see Malik holding the Millennium Rod and Bakura proudly rubbing the arm of his white and red-striped shirt over the front of the Millennium Ring. This makes me smile in relief and I whisper: "It only took us three hours to find them, what a relief."  
>But then Malik shocks the living daylights out of me as he asks: "Three hours? What are you talking about? We've been here for three days searching for these things." And Bakura's words of: "He must not have been here long enough. The Shadow Magic must have been playing with his mind. Did the same with me when I first arrived."<br>Are lost to me as I can only think of one thing: "Aibou. It's been three months since I've seen Aibou. I have to get to him! I have to get to my Koi!" And apparently are my thoughts strong enough to activate the powers of the Millennium Puzzle as I feel the golden item heating up, turning into a bright white light and surrounding me totally.  
>Then I feel that same energy gathering an amazing amount of speed as it shoots away from the two, straight through the barriers of the Shadow Realm, past the Millennium Stone and over the world, from Egypt all the way to Japan, where it easily locates Domino City and flies over it, transporting me straight to my new Destiny – Yugi!<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Hot DAMN!<br>**__**This story is going to be AMAZING! And that's coming from the hands of a fanfiction writer that has, for the longest time, been an avid fan of HikarixYami romance and whatnot. Anyway, this is the first chapter, second will be about Yugi, a little summary of how he felt for the last three months and how he feels of Yami's return.  
><strong>__**Naturally this will include Yami confessing how he's been in love with Yugi for the longest time and it will definitely include some starting romance, but Yugi and Yami aren't my only pairings that I plan t put attention on. This story will also include BakuraxRyou, MarikxMalik and JoeyxKaiba romance and pairings.  
><strong>__**Also, Yugi will be the one to bring Joey and Seto Kaiba together and there will be a lot of Yami humor involved, but you can thank that to the fanfiction writer of 'I hate Mondays' and 'The School Theatre.' I forgot the name of this author, but he/she inspired me to have some fun with the Yami's and so I started this story.  
><strong>__**Hope you enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	2. And With That Yugi Breaks Down

_**Here everyone!  
><strong>__**Here's the next chapter and it will have a couple of things. One of my very own characters – who will be here only for this chapter – a hint to Pokémon – I forgot what season, but still – and some Hikari sadness, Yami anger, some Duel Monster Tournament stuff and some good old YamixYugi Hurt/comfort and romance.  
><strong>__**Okay, enjoy**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 02<br>**__**And With That Yugi Breaks Down**_

_**Yugi's POV**_

"Welcome ladies and Gentlemen to the SunnyShade's Duel Monster Tournament here in Domino City where we are at the very final set of moves of our two Semi-Finalists. Yugi Moto and Damion Hatterson both only have 200 Life Points left, have no Trap or Magic cards to defend them and need only one more monster card!  
>If Mr. Moto draws any Monster Card from his deck at his next move, then that will automatically make him win this duel as no monster has an attack power of under 200. However, if Mr. Moto draws no card with which he can defend himself and Mr. Hatterson draws the Monster Card, then he will be able to take over the title <em>King of Games<em>."  
>The news reporter shouts and whispers as she keeps the attention of her so-called viewers onto her and, at the same time, keeps the excitement of the crowds around me alive as she constantly seems to repeat whatever is going on during this duel, however over the last few months have I learned to ignore news reporters like her.<p>

Having seen my other half had actually finally convinced Seto Kaiba that we were telling the truth about Ancient Egypt, the Pharaoh and my other half this entire time and he swore that with Yami now gone, he was going to help me and Joey prove we deserved our Title as the Top Three Best Duelist in all the world.  
>The man had become both our Manager as well as our Agent and had started spreading all kinds of positive news updates about us, least of all how most of our Duels ended with some maniac being defeated before he could conquer either us or the world. The man had even been able to bring forth evidence regarding Marik and his evil half.<br>The Ishtars had not been happy with this, yet the news report had not lashed back at them. On the contrary had it allowed for Marik to speak his wish on a National Program that was shown all over Egypt and had he actually been given a motorcycle and a very luxurious boat, with the orders from the Egyptian President to explore the world.  
>Marik had tried doing so, however the youth had – for some reason I still can't phantom – fallen into an almost physical breakdown, where in the end he sat himself in one of the darker corners of the Egyptian Museum and where he sat with his arms crossed over his bent up legs and his lips firmly shut, his eyes looking straight ahead all the time.<br>Ishizu had been worried beyond words and the fame she and her family had gained had allowed for her to hire the very best doctors and specialists she could get her hands on. However it had all been for nothing as it seems as if Marik is in a physical coma where his eyes are wide open, yet where he doesn't need any nutrition to survive.

Another one of my friends had also – little under three months ago – fallen ill and with Ryou Bakura, a friend of mine who has been one of my longest friends as well as my first, had somehow been unable to wake up after falling asleep on the boat that took me and my friends – bar the Ishtars – back from Egypt to Japan.  
>Since then Ryou has been in the Hospital and I can't help but worry for him, mostly because his own parents seem to have given up on him and I have even once heard them argue with the doctor that he should just pull the plug, upon which the doctor had replied that he couldn't as there were no machines at work to keep Ryou alive.<br>Yes, how Ryou is still alive while asleep is a mystery not even Kaiba's men were able to figure out and the man had been very determined to find out as he didn't want any more magical mumbo-jumbo messing up with his plans for me, Kaibaland, Joey and himself, however all the man has been able to do so far is keep me updated.

Yet I know I am doing the man a favor for him doing this as I have been dueling almost constantly the last three months, this tournament being my fourteenth in a row since my departure from Egypt and I silently think: "Only like this are you still with me." While knowing that with this thought, I am only fooling myself really.  
>I then look around, not really wanting to stretch the duel, but trying to regain my focus by once again taking in my surroundings and the last thing my eyes fall on before I focus back on the duel are the two Bodyguards Kaiba ordered to protect me that are current standing at the bottom part of the lift leading to my spot.<br>Kaiba had sent these two men at me about a week after we had returned and his reasons had become pretty clear pretty fast as while Joey and I finally got the recognition and respect that the boy had been craving for since Duelist Kingdom, Battle City and the KC Grand Championships, had there definitely been a downside to the fame.

This downside had not been the paparazzi or other Duelists eager and determined to take our spots in the Top League and become famous themselves. It had been fan girls. After my fame had become a hit, had Rebecca – a girl that had been advancing on me for quite a few years – tried to claim me as hers – with really bad consequences.  
>Nobody – and I mean nobody of the female gender – who had come accustomed with my fame and had taken a liking to it, had been happy or content with the idea that a short, young girl was my girlfriend and since then has Rebecca been trying to get time alone with me and have the girls tried hogging all of my otherwise private time.<br>The only places I had, for a short while after my fame had become real, been safe from them had been my classes and my home, but when I discovered that I had to do circus acts from across the street to just get to my house safely because the girls were hogging the door to get a piece of me, had I called Kaiba for help.  
>This had apparently happened at the same time as Joey, who had also started getting hogged, even if he was getting hogged just because the girls knew he was my best friend and while he had been able to enjoy the few girls among the group that did want him, was it easy to say thanks to his bodyguards that they were just not his type.<p>

I then focus back on the duel, being brought back quite suddenly by the news reporter again trying to spice up her story, even if nothing has really happened the last few minutes and I think: "It all depends on this one card. I have to win if I want to keep feeling like he's still here. Only if I win can I keep that feeling, even – even if it's a lie."  
>But I shake my head, determined like always not to let that thought get to me as I remember the one time I actually gave into the truth, a night where grandpa found me crying my eyes out three blocks away from home, shielded from sight by my bodyguards and where he had to feed me several cups of hot tea to calm me down.<br>I had fallen into a really uneasy sleep that night and had woken grandpa and myself several times because of my nightmares and in the end grandpa had actually shared one of his own sleeping medications with me, telling me it wouldn't hurt this once as he had already checked and we were actually blood-partners.  
>Since then have I been taking the medications every so often, not enough to get addicted, but enough that if my nightmares become too often a night, I can take the pills before they run out of hand and keep me out of bed all night. I know this isn't an everlasting solution, but then shake my head, knowing I have to focus.<p>

"Heart of the cards, _please._" I mentally plead as I slowly, with a hesitancy I know he would never show, move my hand over to my deck, the news reporter sounding very distance, yet not far enough that I can't hear how she's trying to make it look as if I am trying to heat up the moment, something that makes me sigh in defeat.  
>Then, just when I am an inch away from touching the cards, do I hear her shout: "What on earth is that laser over there?" And turning around as I can tell from the corner of my eye that the woman is aiming at something on the left behind me, do I see a beam of dark blue with light blue edges shooting through the roof and aiming for me.<br>For some reason does the light look strong and familiar and before I can reach for a card and summon the monster inside it, do I feel the beam hitting me, causing for the light to surround me and for ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs to suddenly appear in several circles of a pentagram around my feet, while swirling in circles.  
>Then I feel something, something powerful, warm and ever so familiar, something I have been fooling myself to actually sense for the last three months and something that would have made my eyes begun to tear had it not been for the fact that this powerful presence wraps itself around my soul and takes over the control of my body.<p>

_**Yami's POV**_

I reach my Aibou and cover him instantly, the power of our bond making it so that I once again take over from him, as if my inner Shadow Magic can recognize the situation I am in before I even so much as open my eyes. However, when I do, do I see that the power is indeed correct with its decision as I am facing another Duelist.  
>Taking the whole situation in with just a single glance around, my eyes roaming over the entire stadium, taking in the shocked spectators, my friends at the front row having disbelief in their eyes, two bodyguards looking like they want to come up here to protect me and my opponent and I having only 200 Life Points each.<br>Then I lie my hand down and feel the rough edges and very familiar power of the Dark Magician resting underneath my fingers and while I draw the card, do I take a closer look at the stadium, feeling amazed at the sight of neither of us having anything on the field – or me in my hand – with which we can defend ourselves and I think:

"This will end this duel." Before I raise my arm and shout: "I summon the Dark magician!" And while my old friend appears on the field, can I not help but feel as if something's wrong as he does as the feeling of him coming to the field just doesn't feel the same as it did when I used him to fight Yugi in the Ceremonial Duel.  
>Deciding to discover the cause later as right now I just want to forge my own body and get back with my precious Aibou, who seems too lost in his own emotions to respond to my return and I shout: "Dark Magician, end this duel with your Dark Magic Attack." And then something happens that I never expected.<br>The Dark Magician spares me a single glance before he raises his arm and to my shock does he seem to be using his full power to attack the boy opposite me, while I can sense no danger or darkness coming from the poor lad and while I know that my friend had already taken notice of his low amount of Life Points.  
>Shocked that Dark Magician would do such a thing, do I mentally ask: "What has been happening to Yugi and the Cards while I was gone?" But while I try to find the answer in the holograms that are fading as the referee announces me the winner, do I turn around to the voices of the bodyguards down below, one of them shouting:<br>"Mr. Moto, come on down, sir, so we can take you to your dressing room for the finals." And while hoping the two can keep me from any situation in which I have to speak as I have no doubt that they aren't here without reason, do I grab my deck, lying Dark Magician's card on top like usual before taking the lift down.

Then, when I am off the platform, do the two bodyguards quickly take each of my sides while their other hand is reached out away from us, a clear sign they will push away whoever tries to get close and I instantly find out why as a couple of girls suddenly try to climb over the wall of the stages and try to run at me.  
>The guard on the left of me is quick to push the girl away and then both lie a hand on my back and push me forward, a clear sign they want me to hurry, however I have other plans. I walk a little in the direction of the guard on my right and the man quickly moves along, his eyes beseeching me as to why I'm doing this.<br>However I keep my lips sealed tightly and think: "Aibou, lend me your voice." And while I feel the magic of the Millennium Puzzle around my neck activating at my request, do I reach the young man that was my opponent, again not sensing anything about him that I could consider a threat and so I extend my hand and say:

"My apologies for Dark Magician's power. I have no idea why he would use so much force when he could clearly see you and I were both with high chances of losing the duel." The young man nods, his brown eyes warm and smiling as he says: "It's okay, I get it. That must have been why you haven't used it in the last four tournaments."  
>This shocks me senseless and while I think: "Yugi hasn't used our Signature card in over four Tournaments? What happened to my Aibou? What happened to Dark Magician?" Do I fake to agree with the boy and he smiles as he shakes my hand and say: "I feel honored to have felt the full power of the King of Games."<br>And while I feel bad for lying to the boy, can I not help but feel that he reminds me of Yugi when he first started dueling; young, carefree and full of life and happy, positive energies. Hoping I can still find the same in my precious Aibou, do I allow for the bodyguards to lead me out of the Arena and over to a Dressing Room.

Here, to my shock, do I see two more bodyguards waiting for me and my own men and when we arrive does the one on my left ask: "Mr. Wheeler is inside, I presume?" And while I wonder why Joey would need bodyguards, does the man on the left of the door nod and say: "Along with Mss. Gardner and Mr. Taylor, yes."  
>The two around me nod in affirmation and then the two at the door open it, allowing me to enter before they close it again, making me feel like a trapped animal were it not for my surroundings. The room itself is amazingly cozy and has a dresser, some wardrobes and small hip-height closets and a bed in the right back corner.<br>On the bed itself are Téa and Tristan, while Joey has the desk chair at the dresser turned with his front against the back rest and his arms wrapped around it and he says: "Amazing duel, Yug. You totally nailed that last move." And while I smile at the happy tones, feeling overjoyed to hear them, do I deactivate the power of the Puzzle.

Then I speak and say: "Thank you, Joey, but it wasn't Yugi who made that last move." And just by my baritone voice do the three widen their eyes and does Téa sit up straighter as she whispers: "No way." And Tristan goes on: "It can't be." And while I feel overjoyed to see their close teamwork yet again, does Joey ask me: "Pharaoh?"  
>But I shake my head and say: "Only the actual guardian of his memories and the friend you all thought you lost three months ago. I truly am sorry that I did that. I didn't know I wasn't Atem and I was sure my destiny lay in the Ancient Egyptian Afterlife. Only after the doors closed did the Pharaoh's father allow me to know the full extended truth."<br>By now my friends have recovered from their shock and before I know it am I held in a headlock by Joey, who rubs his knuckles over my hair and says: "Aaaw, who cares how it happened. We're just glad to have you back, old pall." And while Téa has tears in her eyes, do she and Tristan nod in agreement and I smile at them all.

Then finally does it seem as if Yugi has regained his full strength as the boy starts to push his soul out of his own body and a spiritual form of my Aibou and Koi appears just on the left behind me, his eyes tearful and tear tracks running down his beautiful eyes as he looks at me and before I know it, does the boy hug me and shout:  
>"YAMI, YOU'RE BACK! YOU'RE FINALLY BACK!" And while I feel overjoyed to have that precious little Hikari of mine back in my arms – a chance I barely got while being a spirit attached to his body – do I see my friends looking around in shock, making me know that Yugi's shout was loud enough for even them to hear.<br>I then decide to give my little Aibou one last shock, something I think he will come to like very much and using the power given to me by the Millennium Puzzle – just as Pharaoh Aknamkanon told me – do I push Yugi's body away from my soul, let it surround his own and do I feel a body of my own growing at the exact same time.  
>Feeling my blood flowing through every vessel in my body, do I know the magic worked and I hug Yugi close, feeling tears catch up behind my own eyelids as I finally have the chance I have been waiting for since Battle City and whisper: "I am here, Aibou. I am indeed finally here. And my deepest apologies that it took so long, Aibou."<br>But while I keep calling him Aibou out loud, do I mentally whisper to myself the words _Koi _and _sweet Hikari._ However, Yugi seems too shocked at seeing me with a body of my own to respond and Tristan is the first to do so as he jumps from the bed and loudly asks: "Wow, how long have you been able to do that?" And I answer:

"It was an ability I gained that was added to the Millennium Puzzle after I found it again in the Shadow Realm." And all my friends, Yugi the loudest and with the most fear in his voice, shout: "What were you doing in the Shadow Realm?" I wince as their loud voices echo around me and then calmly answer:  
>"It was my only way of getting back here. I had to go into the Shadow Realm as the Millennium Items had ended up there after our duel. I had to find the Puzzle and restore my bond with Yugi in order to get back to him." I then grumble as I still feel angry about my last discovery before leaving the realm and whisper:<br>"Ridiculous differences of time patterns. If that Shadow Realm hadn't been messing with my head, I would have known I was already searching for three days – which in this time is three months – and that would have made me look harder." But then Yugi seems to have gotten over his shock as he hugs me tight and says softly:  
>"It doesn't matter. What matters is that you're here again. We can all be together again." And while I can't help but mentally add: "And I can be your Yami again." Do I not speak this out loud as I, instead decide to face another issue that has been bugging me since coming here and I turn my face to my other friends as I ask:<p>

"Tell me Joey, why did the Dark Magician attack that other duelist so violently. He must have seen that the both of us only had 200 Life Points left and it's not like him to do such a thing." But just saying the Card Monster's name seems to make the lithe body in my arms tense and makes my friends turn grim as Joey says:  
>"The DM isn't the guy you remember, Yami, not by a long shot." This confuses me and Tristan says: "Yugi has been dueling violently over the last three months just to not have to admit to himself that you were gone." And Téa ends: "But the DM thinks Yugi is overusing them and has grown to hate him for it, same with DM girl."<br>This shocks me as those two should know better than anyone that Yugi's loyalty to them is endless and that Yugi is much too kind hearted to use anyone like that and I think: "I must find out why they would think like that." And while holding Yugi a little tighter in order to comfort my little Aibou, do I ask Joey:

"When did this start?" And the boy answers: "A month ago. Yugi had already been part of ten tournaments in the two months before and he was facing the second to last challenger to the finals. The guy was known for his honesty and his dedication to playing fair games, so when Yugi faced him, we were sure it would be an awesome duel."  
>Tristan then goes on and says: "The dude then made us even more excited as he told us he had felt that DM was at the near top of Yugi's deck, telling us how he could feel how well-used and trusted the card had become for Yugi and had asked him to try and keep DM in the duel the entire time, which of course wowed and excited the crowds."<br>At this I nod, but then Téa turns sad and with her head low, does she say: "But when Yugi pulled his first hand, DM was nowhere to be found. Yugi shouted at the guy to ask how he was sure and when he responded again with how the card felt, were we certain it was the DM card as it carried all the signs of being used the most."  
>Joey then pumps up his fist and says: "Yugi and the rest of were confused like hell and Yugi kept drawing and drawing and drawing and that other player helped him stretch the duel as long as possible. In the end –." Here Joey hits the dresser with his fist, shocking me senseless before rages on and says:<br>"In the end, Yugi found DM at the very bottom of his deck, the one to last card. But when he won the duel and pulled his whole deck back together, graveyard and everything, was the DM card suddenly at the very top of the pile, at the top of his deck. That cold-hearted bastard had used his own Shadow Magic to push his card all the way down."

By now I just don't know what to think, but then I finally get a sight in on why my friends are so angry at the Dark Magician for doing this as Yugi whispers against my shoulder: "It's because of me. It's because I'm just not strong enough to wield its power anymore. The Dark Magician knows this and so –."  
>But before I can protest does Joey jump up from his chair and says: "It's not you, Yuug, how many times do we have to tell you that? It's that stupid card and his own stupid business. I personally don't even understand why you're still keeping that card in your deck. He obviously thinks he's too good for you, slimy no-good magician."<br>And while I'm sure that Mahad – the soul essence of the Dark Magician and the first owner of his Shadow Magical Abilities – will not be happy to be called these words, do I feel that I can't disagree with the blonde and I pull one of my arms away from my embrace, only for my hand to reach for Yugi's deck and pull it out.

Sending a look at Joey, the blonde nods and takes Yugi from me, holding the little Hikari as if he were his little baby brother and while I feel relieved that my little Koi still has his friends to have been helping him through the last few months, do I turn the deck around, seeing the Dark Magician staring right back at me.  
>Sensing out with my Shadow Magic ability, do I suddenly feel another Monster Card respond to it and to my shock, does Kuriboh, a small brown fluffed animal with green paws and purple eyes appear, looking at me for only a second before he quickly flies over to Yugi and starts to cuddle with my little Koi, bringing a smile to Yugi's face.<br>I look at my friends and Tristan says: "That has been happening a lot too. Kuriboh seems to be the only one of Yugi's most trusted Duel Monsters who is still loyal to him. He even comes out sometimes when Yugi doesn't summon him to comfort him. Grandpa told us that Yugi often holds onto Kuriboh after waking from a nightmare."  
>This makes me worried for my little Aibou and I think: "Could the nightmares be about my temporary departure? Could Yugi have been the one to be emotionally affected like Pharaoh Aknamkanon told me?" But then I focus back on the task at hand and pull Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl's cards out of Yugi's deck.<p>

I lie the two cards down on the dresser and Tristan asks: "Are you really going to summon them?" And I nod as I say: "Yes, I trust you and I know you wouldn't lie to me, but I need to know their side of the story." To which Téa shouts: "Their Side? Yugi's been breaking down since you left and has become obsessed with dueling because of it.  
>Dueling is the only thing for him that still makes him believe you are here and those two just don't realize it. We've been trying to get them to come out in friendly duels, but when we do, they don't listen to a word we say, whether it's an order to attack or anything else. Joey even summoned Dark Magician himself, tried talking to him and he just vanished!"<br>This shocks me and I think: "What is the matter with these two? Why are they hurting Yugi so much now that he needs them the most?" And my determination to find out the truth grows, even if I'm sure that my friends have already gotten to the bottom of this and I say: "If not for an explanation then I need to summon them to punish them for their behavior."  
>To this my friends nod and Yugi says: "Yami, they're not –." But then Joey pushes his face in his shoulder and says: "Stop defending those creeps, Yuug, you've seen those looks they've been sending you the few times you summoned them the last month. They're jerks and they deserve what Yami gives them. And if he doesn't, we'll do."<br>The others nod and Téa says: "We've been wanting to punish them for weeks now, Yugi, we just never did, because you keep your cards closely to yourself and we get why, but they need to learn a lesson. So just let Yami do this, okay?" And while I can feel how overpowered my little Koi feels at all these arguments, does he nod nonetheless.

Sending him my feelings for him – while trying to keep them at a low as I don't think Yugi can take the shock of realizing just how much he means to me now, do I feel a small tinge of happiness light up in his side of the connection and this makes me feel relieved as I lie one finger on Dark Magician and one finger on Dark Magician Girl's cards.  
>"Oh warriors of ancient Magic and holders of the souls of Mahad and Mana, come from the Dominion of the Beast, merge with the souls of those who once used you with loyalty and honor and heed my call! Dark Magician, Dark Magician Girl, I SUMMON YOU!" Do I shout in the end and while I can sense the shock of my friends, do the two appear.<br>The two look around and for some reason do I feel that these two aren't the ones that have been dueling alongside Yugi these last three months. Then the Dark Magician looks at me and says: "I see you have finally returned. But why are your friends glaring at us like this?" And realizing that these are Mahad and Mana and not the Magicians, do I say:  
>"Because your Duel Monsters have been behaving to Yugi in a manner they find –." But then Mana gasps and I realize that her memories of DM girl must have caught up with her. She turns to Yugi with tears in her eyes and says: "Yugi – I – I'm so sorry. I – I just – I just don't understand why my Ka Monster – or Duel Monster – would behave like that."<p>

And while my friends seem to realize that these are Mahad and Mana, does Téa glare at the girl and says: "Because – and this is no offense to you, Mana – your little Ka Monster is a blonde haired bimbo who apparently lost the connection between her brain and her heart and therefore no longer can realize how others might hurt over certain events."  
>"Yeah, like events that separate you from the one person you have always had by your side for over four years and who became your closest friend. Or events that can be compared to someone's actual funeral." Tristan then growls at the two and they share a look as Mahad says: "We will merge with our Kas and return to the Dominion of the Beasts."<br>"Hey, wait a minute." Joey says, but I've already caught on with what they're planning and nod as I say: "Make sure they are abandoned like they abandoned Yugi and tell them they will be in my Spare Deck until they've learned their lesson." The two nod, while my friends now stop being angry and look contemplative instead as the two vanish.

"Guess I should not have called onto Mahad and Mana's souls while summoning them." Goes through my mind, but then Tristan lounges back on his arms and says: "I don't know about you guys, but I sure am glad that those two weren't fully against Yugi, or at least not as much as we first thought." And Joey and Téa nod in agreement.  
>"And Mahad and Mana are members of the Pharaoh's court, so they'll probably have some influence on the other Duel Monsters back in the Dominion." Téa says and Joey raises his fist with a victorious grin on his face as he says: "Those two are finally going to get what's coming to them. It's about time too. And stop arguing, Yugi, they deserve it."<br>He then tells my Aibou, who still looks slightly down and I decide that Yugi and I need some alone time so I can personally try and appease and comfort my precious Aibou. I turn to Joey and ask: "Guys, can you?" And like always does it look as if Joey can read my mind on the same level as Yugi as the blonde nods and says:  
>"No problem, come on, fellows, let's leave those two to their own little reunion." And Téa and Tristan are quick to follow him, Téa giving me one last hug as she says: "Good to have you back, Yami." And I nod, deciding to tell them of my new name later as right now, my Aibou needs me more than that they need to know this new change of events.<p>

Then Yugi and I are left alone, the bodyguards at the door closing it behind Tristan swiftly and Yugi, who still looks miserable and who reminds me of the night after we almost lost the Millennium Puzzle to a Mind-controlled Bandit Keith, looks up at me from under his fringe, his eyes proving how hard it is for him to believe I am actually standing here.  
>I walk over to the little sweet thing and softly push one of his yellow fringe hairs to hang behind his ear as he keeps his gaze on me, his eyes questioning whether or not this is really happening and then I take him in my arms again, pushing down on my need to love him as I whisper: "This is real, Yugi. I am really, really here, Aibou."<p>

And with that Yugi breaks down.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, end of chapter!<br>**__**I wasn't really planning to end it here, but I didn't have much choice as the chapter was getting a little long and I wanted to – in the end – divide all of this up a little. Now I hadn't really planned for Mahad and Mana to make an appearance, but I thought it would fit with the Punishment, so I added them nonetheless.  
><strong>__**Now next chapter will be about Yugi, about the little thing reliving some of the memories where he was at his weakest over the last few months and of Yami comforting him and slowly, carefully, letting Yugi in on how he really feels about the emotionally heartbroken boy, which will eventually lead into some romance.  
><strong>__**After that, I think I will do some BakuraxRyou, some MarikxMalik and some JoeyxKaiba. Like I said, Yugi will be involved in getting those two together, but don't expect too much when I start writing about the Duels, because I am downright AWEFULL at writing about that, so those duels will just be summarized and whatnot.  
><strong>__**Okay enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	3. Then That's Where I'll Start

_**And here's chapter #3!  
><strong>__**I know, the chapters just keep on coming, but I can't help it. This story has been bugging and hogging and messing with my mind for so long, I just have to keep writing it until my need for it lies down and my inspiration gives me a chance to write something else, something I don't see happening for another few chapters.  
><strong>__**Anyway, there will be a little YugixYami love in here, along with the return of three very powerful friends. Friends that you can only know about if you've watched the Original Yu-Gi-Oh series from Duelist Kingdom all the way to the Pharaoh's memories, even if these three guys appeared a little before that all happened.  
><strong>__**Okay enough hints,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 3<br>**__**Then That's Where I'll Start**_

_**Yugi's POV**_

All the memories, all the pain and all the other emotions I have felt and that I have been holding back on for all these months, allowing for them to gather together and become stronger and stronger within me, break me apart as I feel the powerful warm arms of my beloved around me and hear his baritone voice whisper words of comfort.  
>I close my eyes as part of me still doesn't want to believe that this is real anymore, simply because I have been having dreams of it happening so many times before, only to wake up, feel that happiness die out in my heart and be replaced with pain and despair as the truth of his departure hits me like a Catapult Turtle yet again.<br>However, it seems that fate has different ideas as I feel the body – of which I refuse to acknowledge that it belongs to my beloved partner – moving my own until the both of us are lying on the bed, lying with our sides on the bed and with our fronts against one another and under the gentle eye of the other person, do I cry.

Cry because I remember the days where I would be in school, face an educational challenge that I couldn't solve and would then try to mentally ask him for help, only to hear no mental response as there is nothing connected to my mind anymore, a fact that made me look up with tears in my eyes as I realize – he wasn't there.  
>Cry because I remember the few times I was in a duel that I felt I just couldn't face or where I just couldn't win and where I wanted to connect to my partner and shout the magic word to let him take over, only to realize I have no one to connect to and to lower my head and arms in defeat as I realize again – he wasn't there.<br>Cry because I remember the times where I woke up from my sleep, whether it be because of a nightmare or because it was time for me to wake up and where I would try to reach for the Millennium Puzzle in an attempt to go to his Soulroom and accept his comfort, only to realize that the Puzzle isn't there – that he wasn't there.

Remembering all these things, do I whisper: "You weren't there. You weren't and you're not here now either. I can't lie to myself anymore. It's not you, it can't be you." These words hurt me and tear me apart, but the presence in front of me just can't be that of Yami as I just no longer feel like I have the strength to keep lying to myself.  
>Then the person holding me tightens his arms and whispers: "Aibou, it is me. I know it took me too long to find the Puzzle and come back to you, but I am here, Aibou and I am never leaving your side again. Please, Aibou, forgive me for leaving you without any proof that I could – and would – indeed return to you once again."<br>But I shake my head, no longer wanting to believe in such fairytales and I say: "No, no, No! it can't be you! It just can't! I won't lie to myself anymore. This is all A DREAM!" But when I want to push away, feeling assured that the power of the push will be enough to wake me up, do I feel the body pulling me even closer.  
>"I can assure you this is no dream, Yugi. You really dueled that other boy, you and I really beat him together, I really punished the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl for their treachery and I am really, right now, holding you. This is no dream, Yugi. Now you must open your eyes and see that I am telling the truth."<br>And the powerful tone behind that amazing voice again makes me inspired to follow his advice and when I look up, my eyes link with his and when I see the crimson eyes staring back at me, while they had been dark or a shade other than the one I see before me in all of my dreams, does it finally hit home with me – he is here.

This makes new tears, tears of unbelievable happiness spring to my eyes and I almost jump Yami, my arms nearly choking him as I push myself onto him, wanting to feel every bit of his body with my own if only to have more physical evidence that this is really happening and that there isn't some chance of this being another dream or joke.  
>Yami tenses for a second when he feels me hugging him, but his arms stay wrapped around me and he moves us so that I am lying slightly atop of him, one of his arms abandoning their position around my back, only for the hand of said arm to move up to my hair and while I keep my eyes wide open, does Yami close his.<br>He then moves that hand to my hair and starts to caress it, the touch so define and gentle, new tears spring to my eyes yet again as I have dreamed of this, both before Yami left and after and I happily – with the contend acceptance that he is here – cuddle my face into his dark blue jacket and black shirt covered chest.

_**Yami's POV**_

The fact that Yugi didn't want to believe it was really me had definitely hurt, but that was more because it was all the more evidence that I had taken way too long with my search and while I have no doubt that the next few weeks will be very hard for us – as Aibou is just bound to have relapse – do I know one thing.  
>"I wouldn't want to be anywhere else anymore than where I am right now." Do I think to myself, the fact that I have a body of my own, that Yugi's body is atop of me and that I can actually hold him and caress his delicate, beautiful head and that hair that is so similar to mine, bar the sweet curl hanging on his forehead.<br>Then I get proof that the mental link has been reestablished as I hear Yugi's voice in my head asking me: "You're not – planning to go anywhere – are you?" And I smile down at the little man, the one that stole my heart so long ago as I softly whisper: "No Yugi, my place is here with you and I never intend to change that again."  
>Making a strong bout of pure happiness soar through my heart, something that in return makes me hold Yugi all the stronger and then I decide to prove to my little Aibou that this really is in fact happening and I silently, mentally whisper: "Great Puzzle, allow us entrance. Let us return into your chambers once more."<p>

And the Eye of the Puzzle lights up, engulfing us both and making our bodies vanish, but also causing for Yugi's soul to slip from my grasp as it is transported to his own Soul room and I think: "I need to see if I can alter that part of the Puzzle's magic. Having to constantly travel between our chambers to see each other just won't do."  
>And upon ending that thought do I feel my soul appearing and taking shape within my own chamber, however I pay no attention to the interior or to whatever changes have occurred since the Pharaoh's memories have been restored and instead of that, do I instantly head for the door out of my chambers and for the one into Yugi's.<br>Running inside, do I almost collide with my precious Aibou, my soul form and instincts responding within seconds to the collision and before either of us can fall down, do I wrap my arms around my precious little partner, Yugi taking only a few seconds longer before he returns the hug, laughing while I hear tearful happiness in his voice.  
>"Told you this was real." I whisper in his hair as I take in the sweet scent that is my Aibou and Yugi nods against my chest as he says: "I've been wanting to do this so many nights now, Yami. Just – just so many." And while feeling pained at hearing this as it proves that Yugi was far from ready to say goodbye, do I say:<br>"From this day forth, the Millennium Puzzle is yours once more, Yugi. And from now on, it will remain that way. No more powers of Destiny or Fate or any other deity can take the Millennium Puzzle – or me – away from you." And this makes the arms around me tighten in happiness, a gesture that makes me smile widely.

I then look up, over Yugi's hair and notice something that I didn't see the last time Yugi and I were in the Millennium Puzzle together and I ask: "Yugi, when did you add a room to your chambers?" And even while I can't see him, do I feel the heat rising up against Yugi's cheeks as it almost burns through the fabric of my shirt.  
>I look down at the blushing little boy and he turns away, actually making me let go off him and while he has his arms behind his back and is shuffling one of his feet on the stone floor, can I not help but feel that the boy looks more adorable than should be considered legal and he says: "Well – um – yo-you see – I ehm?"<br>This makes me smirk while raising my eyebrow at him as the last time I saw him this flustered was when Mokuba wanted him to say a few words to his fans at the Opening Ceremony of the KC Grand Championships and then Yugi sighs and asks: "Oh, what the heck?" Shocking me as I have barely ever heard him curse before.

_**Yugi's POV**_

"Wasn't this exactly why you made that room in the first place? For him to wonder through and explore once he and the Puzzle had been laid to rest? Wasn't that why you worked so hard on it while he worked on that retched deck of his for that cursed duel?" Goes through my mind, which steels my nerves and I say:  
>"I made it while you were preparing for the Ceremonial Duel. I believed back then that upon your departure, the Puzzle and all other Items would go with you. I didn't know they would end up in the Shadow Realm so I decided to make you one last parting gift, so you would have something of me to keep with you for all eternity."<br>This makes my amazingly powerful and grand Yami smile at me, his crimson eyes shining with his happiness at hearing this and while I can't help but wonder about that other emotion I suddenly notice shining in his eyes, does Yami ask: "Can I take a look?" And I want to nod when suddenly something comes in from Yami's room.

Looking at the rushed blur in shock, do I see it take shape and to my shock does Timeas, the Legendary Knight of Atlantis who became part of our deck when we had to battle Dartz and defeat the Oricalchos appear before us, the Knight actually looking winded as he stops in front of us and then calls out to behind him:  
>"Over here! I found them!" And to my shock do Criteas, the Legendary Knight that resembles and fought alongside Kaiba and Hermos, the knight that has almost the same character and fought as part of Joey's deck appear behind him, both of them smiling at us while I can see in their eyes that their visit means business.<br>"What brings you guys from the Dominion of the Beasts?" Yami asks, his stance proving his own shock at seeing the three and Criteas says: "How about hearing what those two idiots did to Yugi these last two fortnights?" And while I again feel pain eating away at me at the thought of my two most precious cards, does Hermos say:  
>"First that little lady goes and says that if either of our worlds may need the other again, that you will be able to find her in your deck and then her and her hotshot partner go and abandon you when you need them most." And Timeas says: "And that comes from the cards owned by the two most loyal Duelists I have ever laid my eye on."<br>And while I wince at the reminder of his scarred eye, do I smile at the three, amazed that while they barely knew me and while I was unable to fight alongside them for most of the journey as Dartz had me captured by the Oricalchos, they are still loyal enough to me to tell me how bad they feel over the behavior of other Duel Monsters.

Yami then nods and speaks in such a way it makes me wonder if he and I aren't sharing minds even while inside the Millennium Puzzle as he says: "Thank you, your loyalty will not go unforgotten. We will repay you once I have returned to a normal life with my partner and we have established a way to do so, I assure you."  
>But the Knights shake their heads and Timeas says: "Think nothing of it. This is merely out way to thank you for helping us defeat the Great Beast once and for all." But while I hate the very memories of the Leviathan, does Yami seem to have a different reason to hate the mentioning and I am shocked beyond words as he says:<br>"I am sad to say that that wasn't entirely true, at least not until a few minutes ago." We all look at him and he looks down as he says: "When I pulled the Evil Essence of the Great Leviathan out of Dartz and stored it within myself, I instantly sent it back to the Shadow Realm, believing that the only place I could keep it well hidden."  
>Instantly I realize what the man means and I shout in fear: "But you had to go into the Shadow Realm to find the Millennium Puzzle. Does that mean you had to face the Leviathan again?" And when Yami nods, does only one though enter my mind: "Was that why he was so late to come back to me? Did I – did I almost lose him – again?"<p>

Yami then looks up and says: "The Leviathan attacked me from the back and almost swallowed me whole. I was able to evade him just in time." This makes me shiver as I think: "I was right, I did almost lose him!" But then Yami shocks and relieves my worries as he smiles at us all, his smile the widest at me and he says:  
>"However, because the Leviathan was a monster created out of pure Darkness, were my memories of my friends and my thoughts of returning to Yugi's side the key to defeating that fearsome beast – and this time it was for good." And with that do I understand why Yami's smile is the widest as he looks at me and I ask:<br>"You – you thought of – of me?" And when Yami nods, do I think: "How could I ever think myself to be weak? To be alone without him? Yami was even able to think of me and with those thoughts defeat the Great Leviathan, so how could I ever think I needed Dueling to feel Yami's presence when the thought of him makes him stay with me."

And with that I lower my head, feeling like a complete fool for behaving like I have for the last few months and think: "That must be why Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl turned against me. They knew all along I didn't need Dueling to remember Yami and have him be close by and they just wanted me to realize that themselves."  
>And I turn to the Knights as I say: "Don't go too hard on them, Timeas. Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl were wiser than I gave them credit for and they just wanted to teach me a valuable lesson that I refused to see." And while the Knights look at me shocked, do I smile at my friend and true love as I say:<br>"I don't need Dueling to think of Yami and I certainly don't need it to feel his presence near me. As long as I remember him, I don't need the Puzzle, the Magic words or the Dueling to have him be part of me. Dark Magician and Dark Magician girl knew this and they just wanted me to know it too. I was just too hurt to realize it."

But at this Yami wraps his arm around me and says: "Yes, and because they didn't show any regards to that or mercy for how you felt and just turned their backs on you and became monsters instead of your friends do they still deserve to be punished. They should have sought a stronger connection to help you, not weaken what was already there."  
>At this I can't help but shrug, hating that I have to give the guy right, while feeling warmed from the inside by his care and from the outside by the amazing arm that is still around my shoulder and then Yami looks past me and says: "And now to have a look at that room." And with that does he turn to the door I created 3 months ago.<br>This makes a new blush appear on my face and I can't help but think: "Crap, I was hoping the presence of those three would distract him from that." But then I sigh and while part of me is worried like no tomorrow that the contents behind that door can make me lose the friend I just got back, does another part feel different.  
>I look at the spirit of the one I love as he walks slowly towards the door at the other end of my Soul room and while thinking of that strange emotion I saw shining in his eyes earlier, can I not help but think: "If that emotion was what I think it was, then the contents of that door might just be the chance I have been waiting for since Battle City."<p>

_**Yami's POV**_

I can feel Yugi's eyes trained on me as I pass his Soul room, the chamber itself small and square shaped and the floor completely empty while it had been littered with old forgotten toys the second time Yugi had come in here and while I wonder where the toys went, does their disappearance help me focus on my target.  
>The door in front of me is simple and made of stone, yet while the structure is simple, does the power I feel coming from it almost overwhelm me and I think: "Could Aibou really have kept something so powerful from me that he hid it behind this door? Is that why he grew so weak so quickly after I left? Did he leave something essential behind?"<br>And while steeling myself for whatever could be behind the door, do I take a firm grasp of the door as if to prove the power within that I can handle whatever it decides to throw at me, only to feel blown off my feet by the power as it suddenly changes how it feels to me and to my shock does the power now almost welcome me into its depths.  
>Remembering that Yugi had created this room especially for me, so I could have something left of him in the Afterlife, do I allow for the happiness that somehow comes from the power within to surround me and fill me up from the inside before I finally turn the handle and open the door, stepping into the amazing power of the room.<p>

There, I am almost disappointed when I see nothing but pictures layering every single wall around me and even a countless amount of them being plastered against the ceiling. Wondering how a bunch of pictures can send off such incredible power, do I think: "Should I take a closer look? I must be missing something vital here?"  
>And then, upon taking a closer look at one of the pictures on the right of me, do I see it. Yugi and I myself, standing on the tropical Lights where we were escorted to after we left Dartz, Ironheart and Chris at Atlantis for them to return to the Spirit world together, while Atlantis itself sunk back to the depths from whence it came.<br>Shocked at seeing this, do I look at the picture next to it, only to see myself sitting down on the stone street of what is left of the Ancient City, my spirit form completely weakened by the battle I just fought to prove I had conquered the darkness within me and with Yugi holding my shoulders while sitting behind me from the right.  
>I look at the several pictures around these two, only to see more and more memories of the last four years, some of them having a golden picture frame and some of those even having a small red ruby in the left bottom corner of the golden frame, while others have their frames simply merged with the stone walls of the room.<p>

"Memories. It's all memories of when Yugi and I worked together as a team." Goes through my mind and while I am amazed at just how many memories Yugi and I were able to make together, as the room itself seems to go on forever, can I just not phantom one thing and that is where that amazing power came from.  
>"It couldn't have come from just the memories. Yes, they are filled with the many amazing emotions we have felt, both good and bad, not to mention the experiences that we have gained and that made us stronger each and every time, but I do not believe our power was as great as the power I sensed when Yugi made this, it just can't be."<br>I think on and on as I try to sense out where the source of power is coming from and then suddenly hear Yugi ask: "Don't you like it?" And when I turn around, do I see him looking at me, having a hand on the door as he locks eyes with me, his eyes searching me for something I just can't seem to grant him as I am too confused by the power.  
>"I do, Yugi, but when I first neared the door, I sensed a presence so powerful it almost overwhelmed me." This shocks the young boy and I say: "And while these pictures hold many powerful memories, they cannot have been the source of that power as I just do not believe our experience to have been that strong when you created this room."<p>

At this Yugi smiles and says: "You're right, it's not the pictures." And I look at him again, shocked that he actually knows what sends of that amazing power and he looks at one of the pictures as he says: "The power you're sensing is the power of my own heart. I was, after all, able to use my own – as they call it – Special Ability."  
>This shocks me and I ask: "What ability do you mean?" And I can't help but think: "Does Yugi have a power he never told me about? Could it have helped us unlock the secrets of the Pharaoh even faster?" But apparently are my thoughts plain to be read of my face as Yugi smiles and says: "No, my ability wouldn't have helped our search at all."<br>He then looks back at me and says: "I know you and I shared a mind and emotional link, but certain events started transpiring after Kaiba announced his Battle City Tournament that I was as unsure of as you were of what we all thought was your Ancient Past and unlike you, was I just not willing to let you know until I found out myself."  
>This shocks me, the thought that Yugi hid such a thing from me almost hurting me physically, but then Yugi lies his head in his neck with his hands behind his head as well and he says: "So in all honesty was my Special Ability the fact that I could hide certain emotions and thoughts from you – but not anymore, Yami."<p>

And I look at the photographs, amazed that Yugi's actual hidden thoughts and emotions are here for me to hear and feel and Yugi says: "The ones merged with the room itself are just memories I didn't want you to forget about. The ones with the golden frame are ones I cherish greatly. The ones with the gem – hold my Special Ability."  
>And with that does Yugi close the door and say: "Just come on out once you're ready, okay Yami? I'll be in my Dressing Room waiting for you." And while I can't help but worry for my little Yugi to be out of the Puzzle by himself, does my curiosity for his actual feelings and thoughts overpower my worries as he closes the door behind him.<br>I then sense him leaving the Puzzle and feel it move slightly as Yugi must be putting it back around his own neck, but then I look around and think: "Yugi said it was the ones with the golden frame and the red gem that hold his secret thoughts and emotions. And that these started when Kaiba announced Battle City. Then that's where I'll start."

* * *

><p><em><strong>I just can't get this story to hurry up now, can I?<br>**__**But no matter, this location was the perfect place to end the chapter. It's interesting, the chapter has a lot of content, Yugi seems to be feeling better and Yami is about to find out that his feelings are definitely returned. So how did you think my little Memory room? Also, am I the only one who thinks Yugi's room is just TOO small?  
><strong>__**Anyway, Yugi and Yami will encounter some hardships along the way, some of them being Yami's own fault as he will grow used to having the chance of being a Yami, others being caused by a few random characters that I will pluck out of the Cannon and bring into my story, just for the heck and the fun of it.  
><strong>__**Who can you be expecting? Well, you already saw Rebecca pass by and she will definitely play a role, but I also intend to let one Vivian Wong have her part in the story somewhere. Not sure where, but either parts – Rebecca and Vivian – won't be for those who are in favor of, or have a certain like for either Viv or Bec.  
><strong>__**Just be warned,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	4. Yugi's Special Ability Revealed

_**I am STEAMROLLING this baby!  
><strong>__**No, I mean it, this story is going like WILDFIRE through my head and my fingers have never hurt more or never felt more proud of themselves at the same time. Seriously, I knew when I got my interest for Yu-Gi-Oh back that this story would be good, but for it to completely take over me and to create 3 chapters in a single weekend?  
><strong>__**SERIOUSLY PEOPLE! All of this has been written between the 30**__**th**__** of August and today, the 1**__**st**__** of September, can you believe it? Four chapters in a single weekend? I have never had anything like this. And for those reading Keyblade's Light, NO, last extravaganza wasn't written in this quick a time, it took weeks to months.  
><strong>__**Okay enjoy**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 04<br>**__**Yugi's Special Ability Revealed**_

_**Yami's POV**_

I am able to find the memory I have been looking for, the memory of Kaiba announcing Battle City and I must confess to myself it took some time as I had expected for it to be a memory of me accepting Kaiba's challenge as he announced it, his face shown on every widescreen at the city and he himself flying along on his Helicopter.  
>Instead it had been a memory of me and Téa arriving at the Domino Station just minutes before – if memory serves me correctly – I was to have my first spiritual encounter with the evil powers of Marik and we were to meet up with May, who would gossip about us dating and who would then talk to me about the invitation.<br>The memory itself is indeed in a golden frame with a beautiful red gem in the right bottom corner just like Yugi said and while I just can't imagine what could be so special about this memory that it would actually become the origin of Yugi's Special Ability, do I feel fascinated enough to touch the red gem on the frame, starting the memory.

_**Within the memory**_

"_The invitation said the tournament would be announced tonight. Ishizu was right." Téa says as she and I walk up to Domino Station, me dressed in the leather black shirt, black leather jeans and shoes Yugi put on before letting me take over, and Téa dressed in a yellow shirt, pink skirt and jacket, black socks and pink heels.  
><em>_We stop at the Station's Plaza and I speak: "I don't know if everything she said is true, but I do know this. I must enter and win this Tournament in order to fulfill my Destiny." At this Téa and I are staring at each other and I can't help but feel confused as so far the memory is exactly as I myself remember it all happening that night.  
><em>_Then Téa speaks again and says: "Just promise me you'll be careful, Yami. Cause I'm sure there's still danger ahead." And while the girl turns to me, do I speak and say: "Yes, whoever's is after the Millennium Puzzle is still out there." Then I turn my face down and grab my deck, looking at the Dark Magician as I say:  
><em>"_But you must trust me, Tea, this deck has never let me down before. As long as Yugi and I stay connected to one another, I am confident that we can use this deck to win this tournament, unlock the mysteries of my ancient past and realize our destiny." And just like I remember does Yugi's spirit come out of me to smile._

_But then finally does something happen that I don't remember and I hear Yugi's voice as if it comes from deep inside of me and at the same time as if it comes from the memory itself and it thinks: "I can't believe this. He helped me save my grandfather, saw me almost lose to Pegasus and still believes I can help him do all this?  
><em>_The spirit is more amazing then I thought. No – Yami is more amazing than I ever believed any friend of mine could be. But – is he really just a friend?" And with that do I feel something deep inside me, as if my heart skipped a beat at that thought and I hear Yugi's voice: "No, it can't be. Who falls for – well, he did save my grandpa."_

_**Outside the Memory**_

But while that voice says so, do only three words hit me. _Who falls for? _Then the memory ends and the picture again shows Téa and me at the Domino Station Plaza, yet my eyes barely see this as my mind races with this new information, my heart beating a thousand miles a minute as it tries to process the facts it was just presented.  
>"So Yugi's special ability was the fact that he could hide the actual dept of his feelings for me, the actual fact that his friendship had already grown into feelings of love long before I even fell for him. Then that means the thoughts he was hiding were thoughts of how much he must have grown to love me. But deep does his love run?"<br>I think while trying to find another memory, this one also encased in golden with a red gem, but then one that takes place long after Battle City and the first one I find; is one I wish I never had to lay eyes on. Yugi and myself in the middle of a stone circle, the stone rocks depicting a battlefield of sorts and Yugi being nothing but a soul.  
>The boy himself has the Seal of Oricalchos shown on his forehead and both of us have marks of a recent fight on our face and clothes, even if Yugi seems about to disappear and I think: "The battle that allowed me to start fighting against the Darkness inside my heart. Why is that one encased in gold when I had to attack Yugi that day?"<br>And while my heart tears up at how vulnerable and weak Yugi looks there and while part of me wants to flee the room, the Puzzle and then reenter the world outside, if only to jump back onto the bed with Yugi and hug him close as a sign that that memory has long since transpired, do I still give into my curiosity and do I activate the memory.

_**Inside the Memory**_

_Yugi and I are on the stone Circle where we dueled each other, me having beaten him by using the Trap Card Divine Wind to counterattack his Catapult Turtle, thus winning the duel and making sure the Seal of Oricalchos can't lock up my soul like I allowed it to do Yugi's only days earlier, however the memory already feels different.  
><em>_Then I realize that while I am witnessing the whole thing transpiring, that I am also able to hear Yugi's thoughts as he speaks and I think: "He was able to hide his thoughts of love from me while on the same time comforting me as he saw how bad I felt for having put him there and having won the duel? How? How did he do that?"  
><em>_But then I listen as Yugi thinks: "If I ever get out of the Oricalchos again, the first thing I'll do is make sure Yami and I can have another moment like this. To feel those amazing arms around me. Oh, this was so worth the blow. I knew he was strong, but damn, where does he hide all those muscles? I don't feel those when we merge, I know that."_

_This makes me feel slightly red and then I listen on as Yugi thinks: "Those tears, I can't believe I caused those. Don't cry, my Yami. I know you're hurting, but it's okay. There are spirits protecting me on the other side. I know you sent them, Yami, I just know it. Only you could and would do such a thing for me."  
><em>_This confuses me as I never did that, having been too obsessed with my need to find Yugi to even think of doing so and as I see how Yugi lies his hand on mine, part of his fingers on my Duel Disk and I hear myself asking him: "But now what?" And I remember the absolute devastation I felt when Yugi's spirit dissolved in my hands.  
><em>_Trying not to feel that same pain, do I hear Yugi's thoughts: "I know you'll find me, Yami. If anyone can, you can. You can send monsters from the other side, so you can save me. And with help of those monsters, will I make sure you know that I am still here. I am still beside you and no power can divide us, no matter how ancient."  
><em>_And this actually alleviates the pain I was starting to feel all over again and when I hear myself shout: "I'LL SAVE YOU! No matter what it takes!" Am I shocked to still be able to hear Yugi's thoughts as – while they are dying out – I hear him think: "Of course, true love always finds each other. My love will guide you, my beloved friend."_

_**Outside The Memory**_

"He heard me. He actually heard me make him that promise. And he, he knew. Or at least, he was guessing at the chance of my love returning his. Could it be that while he was able to hide his love from me, I was unable to achieve that on the same level as him? Did he ever even get a glimpse of the love I feel for him?"  
>And with that do I turn away from the memory, my heart now finally at ease, even if I still wonder about these creatures that protected my Yugi on the other side and then suddenly do I encounter another one that catches my eye, this one of just after we were rescued from the deserted island by Kaiba's Helicopter.<br>It's of a few days after we crash landed in the Middle of Nowhere in Canada, where we had been taken in by Professor Hawkins, his granddaughter Rebecca and Duke Devlin and it's of the day Mokuba invited us to Kaibaland, but then of that same morning, just when Rebecca and Téa had found Yugi and me at the riverbank.  
>Look at the picture of Yugi with his arms raised above him, I cannot help but admire how pretty and carefree my Aibou looks in the picture, something that makes me worry yet again for him seeing his current state, but then I remember what happened only a few minutes later and while suppressing my jealousy, do I tap the gem.<p>

_**Inside the Memory**_

_Yugi stands at the riverbank, having just passed a small brown squirrel up in a tree and has lowered his arms from his stretch as he says: "Finally some peace and quiet for a change." And I see my own soul appearing as it says: "We needed this.""Yeah, after everything we've been through it feels nice just to kick back."  
><em>_And again the memory changes and while I see myself looking out over the lake, do I hear Yugi's thoughts as he thinks: "Not to mention it feels so great being here with my Yami, just the two of us. Wonder what could be bothering him, though." And I see those beautiful lips move as he asks: "Is something on your mind?"  
><em>_And while I feel amazed that my Yugi can sense so quickly that I was worried that day, do I hear myself respond: "As a matter of fact, Yugi, there is. It seems as if everything we restore peace to the world, a greater evil is waiting for us.""Yeah, you got a point there." Yugi responds to this in worry and he turns to me as he says: _

"_Hey, look on the bright side. Every battle that we fight together, also brings us one step closer to finding out the secrets of your past." And while I can hear his thoughts whispering: "And one step closer to me losing you forever." Do I feel my heart tear apart at the words as Yugi pulls three cards from his pocket.  
><em>_My memory self then looks at the cards and says: "The three Egyptian God Cards." And while Yugi thinks: "The only creatures as powerful as my love for you." Something that makes tears be brought to my eyes as I can't believe how strong Yugi believes in his own feelings for me, feelings I never knew of, do I hear him say:  
><em>"_Yep, they're back in our deck again. Which means it's time to pick up where you and I left off. As soon as we get back home, we're going straight to that History museum. And these three cards are going to give us some answers." To which I say: "Well, let's hope." And while I remember wanting to say more, do I hear Yugi think:  
><em>"_I wish he didn't look that good smiling like that. Being all alone here might just be the chance –." But then something happens in the memory that makes me curse it even more than when it actually happened, when I was really part of the events occurring and Téa and Rebecca appear behind us as Rebecca says:_

"_There he is." And just that childish voice is enough to make me want to curse in several languages as I just can't understand how that insolent pipsqueak can think she stands a chance with Yugi when the sound of her voice alone grates on my every nerve. Then Téa says: "I was worried about you." While Memory-me disappears.  
><em>_Remembering why I did so, do I shake my head as I know I didn't want to be around Téa now that she had ruined the one moment where Yugi and I had apparently been sharing the same thought as I too had been thinking about how perfect a chance this was to finally tell Yugi how I felt, why it had been so important to me to find him._

_Then I need the reminder that I had already witnessed several mental testimonies of Yugi loving me through his other memories as the stupid, blonde haired little runt named Rebecca runs at my Yugi and actually jumps him, pushing his against the ground and almost shouting in his ear: "I was even more worried about you than Téa was!"  
><em>_And while Yugi again proves how he can just not hurt anyone he cares about as he says: "Thanks, I think. Can we get up now, please? I can't breathe." Do I actually hear him thinking again and his thoughts say: "This is so not the amazing embrace I was in when Yami held me a few days ago. Oh, how I miss that amazing hug."  
><em>_And while Téa looks just as annoyed as I felt that day, does she say: "Come on, you two lovebirds. Everyone's waiting." And while I want to again silently curse her for even thinking of calling Yugi and Rebecca anything romantic, does Rebecca turn her gaze on Yugi while her eyes are closed and she says: "Let's go."  
><em>_And while Yugi says: "Uh sure." And I hear Rebecca talk in the background, do Yugi's thoughts actually overpower the sound of the girl's voice as he thinks: "At least I had some time alone with him. And who knows, maybe I can get a similar chance before we find those answers he so desperately needs. Great Ra, I love his determination."  
><em>_And while he thinks this, do I actually see something that I missed that day after showing up again from behind him as Rebecca spoke as my anger had me slightly blinded for what was around me and I actually see a hint of that actual love shine in Yugi's eyes as he looks behind him at where I appear to smile back at him._

_**Outside the memory**_

I take a breath of relief, feeling amazed that Yugi actually felt this way and that he actually thought of me and his love for me while being confronted yet again by that stupid runt and her dumb, kiddy crush on my Yugi and then, to my confusion, do I see that the next memory, of our breakfast that morning, also has a golden frame and red gem.  
>Wondering what about this could make the memory special enough Yugi would decide it to be worth such magic, do I decide to review it in my own mind before activating the magic and I think: "The only thing that happened there was Yugi and me –." And then I remember the argument Yugi had with his friends that day.<br>"I helped Yugi decide to stay while he wanted to leave as soon as possible to help me solve the mysteries of Yami's past. He agreed with me so quickly after I told him I was okay with it, there must have been a reason he hid with his Special Ability that I didn't think about." And with that do I activate yet another special memory.

_**Inside the memory**_

"_You know, Hawkins, for an old-stuffed shirt, you make a mean dish of pasta." Joey says with his fork aimed for the sky as we're all seated at an eight-chaired picnic table, Yugi luckily enough seated opposite of Rebecca and Joey and Téa on his sides, while Duke and Professor Hawkins are on Rebecca's sides.  
><em>_I know that that day, I had used some Shadow magic to make sure Joey and Téa sat there before Rebecca could as I knew that Téa had a small crush on Yugi that I myself considered harmless as her loyalty to Yugi was greater than her crush on him, yet I had not trusted Rebecca, something the girl had proven rightfully so later on.  
><em>_Téa then again proves her manners as she admonishes Joey before Professor Hawkins says: "There is a lot more where that came from if you kids want to stay." And Yugi, who had just been wanting to take a bit of bacon, looks up shocked and says: "Thanks a lot, Professor, but we should all be getting back home."_

_To this Rebecca again fuels my anger at her as she asks: "What? How can you leave when we haven't even gone out on one single date yet?" And while I remember thinking about how that will never happen either, does Duke prove to me yet again how perceptive the amazing man – who created his own game – is as he says:  
><em>"_Beccy's right. well, not about the date part. What I mean is, it's too soon for you to leave." And then I remember how happy I felt when Tristan backed him up and says: "Yeah, ditto. We should stay and relax for once." And I remember thinking about how the chance to relax could lead to a chance of revealing my actual feelings to Yugi.  
><em>_Then Joey distracts me and says: "Hey, if every meal is like this, I'm moving in with the Professor for good." Then Téa makes my mood even better as she asks: "So what do you think, Yugi? It is kind of nice here?" And Joey goes on as he says: "Kind of nice? It's perfect?" And while I think: "Perfect for a chance at romance."_

_Just like I did back then while inside the Puzzle and away from Yugi's thoughts and our mental bond, does the phone ring inside the camper and does the Professor excuse himself. Then the memory refocuses back on Yugi, Joey and Téa and Joey asks: "Come on, Yuug, give me one good reason why we should go?"  
><em>_Then Yugi looks down at my Puzzle and while that day I had, for a second been worried that he had actually read my thoughts either way, had Téa actually read Yugi's and she says: "Oh wait, I know. You need to get back to help the Pharaoh, right?" And I can hear how defeated Yugi sounds as he sighs and Tristan says:  
><em>"_I understand, dude." And Téa shows how compassionate she is once again as she says: "Yeah, you guys have important stuff to deal with." Before I again hear Yugi's thoughts come out as he looks around at all the saddened faces and it says: "They don't have half as many reasons to feel sad for this lost chance at staying here."_

_But then my spirit shows up at the left of Yugi and says: "Yugi, I've waited 5000 years to find out about my past. I really don't think another day or two is going to hurt." And while I remember why I had wanted to stay, as I believed this place the perfect location to tell Yugi how I felt, had Yugi been doubtful as he asks:  
><em>"_You mean, we should stay?" And I nod at him, loving how happy Yugi sounds as he thanks me before he breaks our private moment and says: "On second thought guys, let's stick around." And while I hear Joey and Tristan claim all kinds of lounge seats and hear Téa express her displeasure at their laziness do I hear Yugi's thoughts:  
><em>"_They might want to relax, but this is my chance to finally have some alone time with the Spirit of my dreams. And staying here for a few days should allow for me to find a spot Rebecca can't find and break apart my private time with him. The perfect chance to tell him how I feel, once I get the chance to ditch her that is."_

_**Outside The Memory**_

And while I can't help but feel amazed at how annoyed Yugi actually was with the little runt, do I wonder if this is because of the girl's stupid blind persistence or because of other reasons and then I suddenly remember something myself and avidly look for this memory, hoping it has the same kind of magic as the last few.  
>My hope is then rewarded as just a few memories away, only a few before the one of the fight, do I find another golden frame with red ruby inside the frame and this one is of just after our first encounter with the Oricalchos, just after Professor Hawkins came to see us to give us some more intell on the situation.<br>Grandpa had, at the end of all the conversations shared back and forth – not to mention the shocks we had gotten from each other – taken us all outside, where he had ordered a cab to arrive and there the memory seems to start, the picture showing us all standing outside the museum with the sun setting in the far end.  
>Hoping against all hope that this memory will prove to me yet again that Yugi really does love me, do I wonder why the memory doesn't start any earlier as there were definitely many important things shared between us, but then see that memory embedded into the stone wall before I decide to trust my Aibou and activate the memory.<p>

_**Inside the Memory**_

_Grandpa is standing outside the open door of the cab he called, while his friend Arthur Hawkins is already inside and while that little runt is clinging to Yugi's arm, having called him her boyfriend upon meeting with him, something that when I heard it had made me dive so deep into the Puzzle I was almost lost to our connection.  
><em>_Then grandpa says: "You kids be careful. I'm going to take Arthur and Rebecca to the airport." And while Rebecca makes me want to get out of the memory if only to hunt her down, do I hear Yugi's thoughts as she clings to his arm and says: "Goodbye cutie." Before kissing his cheek and leaving for the cab as I hear him think:  
><em>"_It's Yami holding me. It's the Pharaoh grasping my arm. Oh Ra, I wish those were the Pharaoh's lips." And this makes me smile with tears of happiness clinging to my eyes as I see how angry Téa gets over the kiss, yet I can't share that anger myself as Yugi's thoughts make me finally decide to leave the memories and the Puzzle._

_**Outside the memory**_

Finally understanding why Yugi only had this part of the memory sealed in this frame, do I see the rest of that memory shown in the picture alongside it, Yugi looking away from the rest of the gang as he must have just heard Dark Magician Girl call out to him from the doorway in my soul room that leads to the Dominion of the Beasts.  
>Yet my attention is quickly taken away from this memory and I walk out of the room, my same confident smile on my face as I finally feel I have seen enough to overcome nearly four years of doubt at whether or not Yugi could ever return the feelings I have grown to feel for him since he gave the Millennium Puzzle to Joey.<br>Then I close the door to this special room behind me, feeling confident that I will probably be back later if only to hear even more evidence of Yugi's thoughts of love for me and then leave his soul room and enter my own, if only to activate the power of the Millennium Puzzle yet again and appear outside it with a body.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, so the last part was written on the second of September, sue me!<br>**__**Anyway, next chapter will definitely hold a lot of romance and as you can guess, I HATE REBECCA! I also hate those really clingy, self-centered forms of Téa where she thinks only of herself and delusions herself with the belief Yami could care for her, but I'm just not cut out to writing that kind of stuff.  
><strong>__**So Téa won't be that kind of girl in this story, but her place will definitely be filled by Rebecca and maybe a few other people – like Vivian Wong for instance. And yes, I wanted to do a memory of Vivian Wong and Rebecca's duel, but I decided to leave that for later, no idea why, but we'll just have to wait and see.  
><strong>__**Anyway, next chapter will be Yugi and Yami talking about their emotions for each other and after that I think I'll turn to Bakura, Ryou, Marik and Malik. Sure is getting about bloody time to get the responses of those two Hikari's of their Yami's return out of the way – not to mention Ishizu's response to Malik's return.  
><strong>__**Okay enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990  
><strong>__**PS. That episode with Rebecca was a bint to find.**_


	5. Yugi and The Pharaoh

_**Hey everyone, chapter 5 is up!  
><strong>__**And this is really ridiculous, but I needed to check the last chapter to make sure this was indeed chapter 5. I've been so busy typing out this story, I even lost sight of how many chapters it has. On other news, have I decided – and I really hate myself for this – to put my other stories on hold for a few weeks.  
><strong>__**I really want to continue this story and I want to get another chance like the one I had with Never They Cannot, but then with a few more chapters before it gets completed. So this story won't be posted until it's done and I don't think that will take very long, but I don't think it'll be done in under 10 chapters either.  
><strong>__**A few of the things I have planned is for the Yami's to have a full-on experience with every day to day technology. I know you see that happening a lot in the canon, but they never really interact with it, so I think it'll be fun to write about. Another few things you never see in cannon are winter and a few of the worldwide holidays.  
><strong>__**So expect some Yami-craziness as the 3 people who have only known sunny weather and dry heats – at least Bakura and Yami thanks to their darker side's memories – to actually encounter things like Snow and the leaves falling off trees as Autumn arrives – not to mention learning about people like Santa and the Easter Bunny.  
><strong>__**It's be a BLAST, enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 5<br>**__**Yugi and The Pharaoh**_

_**Yugi's POV**_

Yami sure takes a whole lot longer in the Puzzle than I thought he would and I can't help but wonder how much evidence the Spirit could need before he realizes that I really do love him. I myself am just lying on my bed in the Dressing room, my arms behind my head and a happy smile on my face as I feel a pleasant weight around my neck.  
>As soon as I left the Puzzle the first thing I did was put its old chain back around my neck, feeling it strengthen the bond between me and Yami yet again and making me feel that powerful sense of trust and confidence that always came from deep within the Puzzle, from deep within Yami himself, filling me up completely.<br>This had finally made the weight of my loss be lifted off my shoulders and I had finally been able to smile genuinely for the first time in a long while by myself again as I laid myself down on my bed, made sure that the Puzzle was lying in the centre of my chest and had afterwards put my hands behind my head, my eyes aimed for the ceiling.

I had, naturally enough, been able to sense it every time Yami had activated a memory and after the third had I started to wonder what Yami could be looking for as I had given him plenty of hints to just head for the first memory with the golden frame and the red gem. However, finally after 5 memories, does it happen.  
>I sense Yami leaving my soul room and only a minute later does the amazing spirit return to a body of his own, his confident smile causing for shivers to run down my spine, shivers he was never able to sense as I only felt them whenever seeing the smile on the face of his soul form, yet never when he took over my body.<br>However, seeing it on his own makes the smile look even more amazing and then Yami looks up and I ask: "Did you really need five memories to be convinced?" And Yami shakes his head before he – to my delight – lies himself down next to me, his arms instantly wrapping themselves around my waist and his face burying itself in my neck.  
>There he cuddles with the hair at the base of my neck and I shiver as I feel his breath against my bare skin before I hear his voice so close to my ear and he says: "I just got intrigued by the many memories I felt encased by your incredible ability, Aibou. And some of them just made me wonder why you would encase them so."<p>

"Like which?" I try to ask, the question coming out almost breathless as I had never been able to prepare myself for the chance of feeling Yami's body moving against my own or to actually feel his breath on my skin and he says: "Like the one of that little bint thinking she can cling to you – and even worse, kiss you."  
>This shocks me and I ask: "You mean the memory where I kept begging for that to be you? Were you – no way were you jealous of her." I then end in total shock and Yami turns my face so that my eyes lock with his as he says: "Yugi, she had a body of her own and the boldness to do what I so desired so many times.<br>Not to mention that her boldness and her childish tone just constantly grated on my nerves." This makes me cringe and I think: "He is not going to like the fact that Rebecca has gotten even worse since my fame became reality." Only to suddenly remember that Yami and I share a mind-link as Yami's looks change.  
>Thin lips and a fire dancing in his eyes prove to me how displeased Yami is with this news and he hisses: "Let her try, I'll send her to the Shadow Realm if I must. Anything to let her understand that she is not to touch what's mine!" And while I wonder if I should consider myself insulted by being called an object, do I respond either way.<br>I pull Yami close and lie his head in my shoulder, my hand softly going through his hair to calm down his anger as I ask: "Yami, have you ever seen me respond to any of her advances?" And Yami angrily answers: "No, but she –." But I interrupt before Yami can call me an object yet again and tell him softly, with a loving tone to my voice:  
>"And that's because – my dearest Yami – she came way too late. She called me her boyfriend almost a year and a half after I had my heart stolen by someone else." But apparently are these the wrong words to say as Yami – apparently having grown enraged the longer I spoke instead of calming down – jumps up and asks:<p>

"SOMEONE ELSE? WHO? I'LL SEND WHOEVER THINKS –!" But before his shouts can alert the Bodyguards outside my room, do I jump up, press his lips against my shirt and ask: "Are you seriously asking who after seeing five of my most valuable memories?" And that one question apparently does the trick.  
>Yami calms down with a sudden shock and then slowly relaxes his muscles as he pulls himself up until it is my face that is hidden in between Yami's neck and shoulder and the warm voice of my Yami, who sounds so loving and yet so confused, whispers to me: "I'm sorry, Aibou. I – I don't know what came over me just now."<br>But then a voice, more ancient than that of my Yami, more ancient than even his voice when he uses the Power of the Millennium Puzzle, sounds from all around us as a figure of light appears from the side of my doorway and says: "But I do." And a man I have never seen before appears before me and my Yami's eyes.  
>My Yami, on the other hand, seems to recognize the man and says: "Pharaoh Aknamkanon, you've come to this plain? But how?" And the man smiles as he says: "I was able to cast a spell of my own when you passed from the Shadow Realm to the Afterlife and through it back here, to your Light, Guardian of the Millennium Puzzle."<p>

This shocks me and reignites that same fear in my heart that I shortly felt when I heard how Yami faced the Great Leviathan in the Shadow Realm as I ask: "So you, you could have been stuck in between while trying to get to me?" And Yami look at me in the same worry, until he sees the Pharaoh shake his head and the man says:  
>"No, Yami's connection to you was too strong for any force of Destiny or Life to keep him from you when he focused on getting back. However, while your bond is indeed a reason for me to have come, is your renewed fear not." This confuses me and while Yami pushes his face in my hair to whisper comforting words, does the Pharaoh say:<br>"Yami, you and Yugi have created a bond that is even stronger than I suspected when we spoke of it. Not only did it turn you from a mere guardian of the Millennium Puzzle into the Yami of this young man, you also made it even stronger by allowing for your love for this boy to grow inside your heart every day that you existed by his side.  
>That however, now seems to come at a cost." This worries me and reignites the worries that Yami's sweet words were able to lessen and I ask: "At what?" And while I wonder if my months apart are the reason for me to be so easily worried and scared, does the Pharaoh smile at me, proving what an amazing and kind man he really is.<p>

"Do not fear for your Darkness, Yugi Moto, for you do not have to. The cost that Yami is now suffering from is simply due to the fact that, while he allowed the love in his heart to grow, he never truly gave it a chance to come out. This caused for many emotions connected to his love to grow, and those are now out of his control."  
>This makes me look away from the Pharaoh to Yami, my mind's eyes thinking of only the worst things that could happen to Yami now that his emotions are out of his own control and Yami asks: "What does this mean?" And when the Pharaoh speaks does he instantly calm down all my nerves as he smiles and says:<br>"You already saw for yourself what that means, when you overreacted without thinking properly." And the memory of Yami almost causing the guards to come in from the hallway comes up in my mind, even if it only happened about a few minutes ago and I ask: "So Yami will just overreact in his protectiveness of me?"  
>And when the man nods, do I sigh in relief as the man says: "Yami is simply unused to all the emotions he can unleash as your darkness and that makes him incapable, at times, to correctly decide how much of those emotions should come out, thus causing for him to overreact and perhaps even act without conscious thought."<p>

The man then smiles even wider and says: "However, I have another reason for coming here." And we both look at him as he says: "Didn't I tell you, Imay? Did I not say that I would have a gift for the Hikari's once you have again found them?" And when Yami answers: "No, you did not." Do I look at him as I ask:  
>"Imay?" And the love of my life smiles at me as he says: "I think the Pharaoh understands how much I bless the fact that you call me Yami, as you are my Light. I believe it is his way to make sure no one else can use your little nickname for me, even if it is only the Japanese word for Darkness spelled in simple mirror language."<br>This makes me smile while I can't help but wonder how the Pharaoh could have known that I kept calling Yami by that name in my mind even after we all started referring to him as the Pharaoh and then the man answers my curiosity as he says: "Your heart never believed the lies you were told, did it, young Yugi?"  
>And while I blush as I feel stupid for never coming out with this, does Yami look at me and I say: "It just never felt like I was falling for an Ancient Pharaoh, only for someone with amazing Ancient and Magical Powers. Because everyone kept speaking of this amazingly powerful Pharaoh, was I too confused to see the difference."<p>

The both of them nod and then the Pharaoh walks forward, Yami instinctively wrapping his arms around me in a protective stance, while I can see shock and then regret shining in his eyes as he looks at the man and when I feel his arms loosening, do I look at the Pharaoh, only to see his finger touch my forehead.  
>Feeling the amazing magic of the man coarse through me, I feel him adding some kind of amazing power, something that almost feels like another organ, down to my body and feel the magic – for some reason – connecting this power to my rear end. The Pharaoh then pulls his finger away and smiles at me as he whispers:<br>"When you are both ready, you will understand." And then he whispers in my ear: "Till then, don't tell Yami your realizations or he'll surely freak out even more than before." And while I wonder what the man could have done, do I nod silently, deciding to first find out what he means by my realization before doing anything else.  
>The man then nods and says: "Malik and Bakura have returned to their Hikari's as well. They are doing well and while Ryou seems least affected, would I still recommend that you spent as much time around each other as possible. And Imay, I believe this belongs with you." And with that does he hand Yami an official document.<br>But while he does so, do only a few words enter my confused mind and when I realize what I just heard, does my heart miss a beat as I know exactly in what kind of state Ryou and Marik are currently residing in and with that, do I turn to Yami with fear in my eyes and shout: "Who did he say were with WHO NOW?"

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><p><em><strong>Okay, so this chapter is only three pages long, who cares? The next chapter is already almost done and it's amazing. It's Bakura and Ryou reuniting and while it won't really be all that fun for those who think Ryou had an easy life before he met Yugi, do I really think I gave Bakura a good head start into how to be a Yami.<br>**__**Okay, enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	6. Bakura and Ryou

_**Here's the next chapter!  
><strong>__**And all I can do for this AN is repeat my warning of the last. This is not for those who think Ryou had a good life before he met Yugi and it does have a really strong adult theme in it that I know only the most worthless of parents would think of committing, but let's face it; such bastards just really do exist, end of story.  
><strong>__**Okay on with this one,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

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><p><em><strong>Chapter 6<br>**__**Bakura and Ryou**_

_**Bakura's POV**_

Like that little shrimp who had proven himself not to be the Pharaoh and who had proven to know exactly how to defeat that great and disgusting monster I have had to deal with countless times while here in the Shadow Realm, do I focus on my bond with my Hikari, wondering if I could really be meant for someone so young and kind.  
>Then the bond proves this to be true as like the Puzzle's Guardian, I too am sent away from the Shadow Realm in a blast of pure light, something I find both intriguing and slightly ironic as I myself am the darkness, yet it is only fitting for the powers of Light to return me to what I now consider my Hikari, Ryou Bakura.<br>Feeling that it can't be without reason that this boy shares my namesake, even if the rest of his family does as well, do I wonder what life as his Yami will be like, but then I think: "Whatever it'll be like, it will most certainly be better than a life where all I can think about is vengeance and my hatred for the wrong people."  
>And while I again feel a twinge of pain going through what I can only assume is my actual heart at the thought of me wanting to destroy an entire family for killing of a bunch of thieves, murderers and criminals, do I see something that makes me think of completely other things as I think: "Why am I heading for a hospital?"<p>

And indeed do I feel my spirit arrive in one of the upper floors of a large, white painted hospital building, my room being in the first ten on the left of the twentieth, perhaps twenty-fifth floor and when I arrive there, does my heart skip a beat when I see Ryou, who lies in the bed while motionless and with his eyes firmly closed.  
>The boy's heart is still beating as I can feel it beat alongside my own thanks to the Millennium Ring and upon closer look can I see the boy breathing, even if his lips are almost firmly closed and there is barely a breath coming through his nose, his shoulders not even moving, yet his chest indicating that his lungs are still functioning.<br>Looking at the poor young lad, do I remember the Puzzle Spirit's words of our Hikari's suffering the longer our search for the Items takes and I think: "Did I cause this? Could Ryou have been awake and awaiting me had I searched with more passion for the ring that is around my neck? How long has he been like this?"

Then the door to his room opens and I look at it, wondering if one of his friends could be visiting and if so, why they are not at his bed constantly, awaiting the day that he awakes, but then I remember something. "As far as they know, I am evil. Seeing me here will not do their tempers any good and I doubt they will be willing to listen."  
>And with that do I want to hide wherever possible, when I see that it is not one of the pretty boy's friends, but instead that old man that – if memory served me correctly – is Yugi Moto's grandfather along with two people who somehow resemble little Ryou, even if their facial features make me wonder if they are related at all.<br>Where Ryou is always looking ahead with a kind smile or an intelligent gaze, are these two with their eyes covered, their lips thin and their entire stances rigged like bricks in a wall as they walk over to Ryou, ahead of the old man who seems to desperately be trying to convince them of something and I decide to have a little listen in.

"Please, you must be reasonable. I have enough on my hands with Yugi and if he hears what you're planning with poor Ryou, you will have two deaths on your hands." This shocks me and I think: "Are members of Ryou's own family cruel enough to get rid of him? Was my time of arrival perhaps spot on then, after all?"  
>But then the woman on the left, who does have Ryou's long albino white hair, but who keeps it tied up with several white hair bands and hairclips, says: "What we do with our son is none of your business." And while my heart freezes over at the word son, does Solomon Moto shout: "It is if it can send my grandson to suicide."<br>"We haven't seen your grandson here in at least a fortnight. If he truly cares for Ryou, he would have shown up more." The man says and Solomon angrily retorts: "Like you are visiting trice in three months?" And while a small blush is apparent on the albino skin of the man, do I decide that I have heard enough.

Having concluded that I am still in spirit form as the three of them walked past me without even acknowledging my presence, even Solomon Moto himself, do I focus on the Millennium Ring around my neck as I whisper: "Ancient magic of my Millennium Ring, grant me a body so I may protect that of my Hikari."  
>And with that – and another blast of dazzling gleaming light – do I feel fluids starting to flow from my heart down to my arms, legs and up to my brain, do I suddenly sense the actual fabric of my shirt and pants on my new skin and do I feel the wind of the open window brush my hair out of my face, while my eyes spot something amusing.<br>The Bakura parents and Solomon Moto, all of them looking at me in shock and the elder man is the first to respond as he says: "Please, no more Shadow Realm! Not again." But I pass the elder man as I say: "I am not here for you, old man, but I do wish to offer you my gratitude nonetheless." The man looks at me and I turn to my targets.

The two have sunglasses on, but even then can I almost sense their unease as I turn my Death Glare at them and with the death of my anger in my voice, do I say: "I am here because these two are more careless for their own son than my Darkened Spirit was of him when the Memories of Zorc the Dark One had me under their control."  
>Solomon looks at me in shock and asks: "You were under the influence of Zorc the Dark one? Do you mean, like how the Pharaoh was under the Influence of the Seal of Oricalchos?" To which I answer: "Yes and no, old man. Yes, it felt like that, however no, because it was not the Pharaoh you have known these last four years."<br>This shocks the man and he asks: "It was not? Then –." He blinks and asks: "Who has been helping Yugi all this time?" And I answer: "Simple, the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle, a Spirit Yugi created when he first put the Puzzle back together after the Pharaoh had shattered it to make sure his memories would not unleash Zorc's darkness once more."

The grandfather of little Yugi looks at me shocked and then I turn my grin on the two parents of my little Hikari yet again and ask: "Intriguing, is it not? How a mere boy of only 18 has a better sense of justice than two actual adults combined, adults – if I were to go by your outfits – who apparently enforce justice on a daily basis."  
>And with that the two take a step back as if hit, but I pay them no mind as my sole reason for being here is still lying on his bed, still motionless bar his breathing and has yet to even respond to my presence, something that worries me as I would have expected a mental or emotional reaction by now and I ask:<br>"When?" Everyone looks at me and I continue: "When did this happen? Has he fallen asleep like this after going to bed one night? I already know of your little conversation it has been three months since he ended up in this Hospital. However, what I do not know is how he came to be here or when? So tell me and tell me now!"  
>I demand of the three, the parents taking another step back and Solomon Moto making a scared sound in the back of his throat, proving to me he still fears that I will send him to the Shadow Realm before he says: "He did. He did fall asleep. It was on the boat ride back. We went overnight and when we woke in Japan, he wouldn't."<p>

I nod at the man, while part of me is relieved that it wasn't my long search that caused this and then I ask: "And three months like this is enough for one's parents to decide he should be put down?" My tone of anger obviously meant for the parents and actually making Solomon glare at the two with renewed anger.  
>"We are his parents and we have such rights." The woman then tells me, but then Solomon angers me as he says: "Not when all reports from the doctors keep stating that he's perfectly fine, you fools! Such rights are only to be given to you when your son is already on his deathbed and Ryou clearly isn't or the doctors would have told us."<br>He then turns to me and says: "I know now you were created when Ryou first came in contact with you, but I sincerely hope you have been cleansed of all your Darkness as the only reason Ryou was always so quick to give in – was because of those two and their lack of proper care." And he aims an accusing finger at the parents.  
>"You say we have a lack of care? You're more in the Hospital than your grandson is dueling and you live in a store. How does that make you the better guardian, old man?" And while I hate how the father uses my nickname for the man, do I decide to use their little distraction with each other to my advantage and I approach the bed.<p>

There Ryou still lies calm as a brook on a spring day, his breathing coming out in even pants and his chest barely even moving the blanket over him as he breaths in and out, in and out, constantly, proving with just that little bit of evidence that he is still clinging to life and fighting for a chance to wake up, something that makes me smile at him.  
>I then gently, not wanting to startle the sleeping body on the bed, set myself onto the bed, the mattress not even whispering in a creak as I do so and I decide to make my first move towards this pretty little light lying here in front of me. I raise my hand ever so slowly, careful to see whether or not he is waking and then touch his cheek.<br>The warmth of his skin, even against the skin of the back of my fingers, feels pleasant and comforting even when it is just a few of my fingers against his cheek and I feel a happy, content smile grow on my face as I gently let the hand brush down Ryou's cheek, stopping at his jaw line only to move up and over to his hair.  
>There my fingers almost disappear in the long tresses and while I gently untangle any last curls that could have gotten stuck together while he slept, do I let my hand go past the other side of his face, the bottom of my hand again touching and caressing down his other cheek and then finally do I get a response from the little boy.<p>

With just a small sigh before he goes back to how he breathed in and out before, does Ryou tilt his head to the left and does he actually trap my hand between his cheek and the pillow, yet this is not the sign that I take notice of or that makes me gasp. No, the sign I suddenly see appearing is a serene smile that grows on Ryou's face.  
>Looking at that one smile, that one turn of his lips that makes them look like a single side of the moon when it's full in its glory, shining up in the night sky, do I suddenly see a vision in my mind's eyes of myself and Ryou, sitting atop the roof of a building with a red-bricked roof and holding hands as we gaze at the night sky together.<br>The vision disappears only seconds later, however it does not leave me completely empty as I not just feel a strong growing determination to actually see that vision come true, I also feel something else, a group of emotions that I know aren't mine and I think: "Little Hikari, can you hear me?" Wondering if all links have been formed.  
>Then my eyes widen as Ryou nods only ever so slowly and only once, his movement almost too little for my eyes to see and then I hear his voice inside my head and he whispers: "Take them out." And it takes me only a second to understand who my Hikari could be talking about, yet when I do, do I stand up yet again.<p>

Ryou releases my hand from under his cheek and lies himself in such a way that – had all this not just happened – I would have believed I had dreamed it all happening or something, yet I don't pay attention to this as I focus back on the parents and Mr. Moto, all of who seem to have forgotten us and are shouting at each other.  
>"And I keep telling you that you can't make decisions like this! Not if even the medical records show that your son is in perfect health!" And while I feel amazed at how violent the man can shout, do I smirk at him and say: "His health is indeed remarkable, even if I can't say that he has his parents to thank for that, obviously."<br>The two glare at me, but I am not faced in the slightest as the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle had much more anger and hatred in his eyes when he glared at me and while I wonder how, do I say: "It is most remarkable but I somehow still have my memories of my time as a Tomb Robber. They have been cleansed, but they are still here.  
>And I can tell you here and now, even in the times of Ancient Egypt you would not have been honored for your decisions. In fact, if the Pharaoh had heard, you would have probably been thrown in the dungeon, regardless of the fact that no healer then or now would have been able to wake your son from his slumber."<p>

"And why should we care about the Ancient Egyptian times? We're lawyers, not Archeologists." The woman sneers at me and I think: "And you clearly don't know how to keep your behavior as a lawyer inside the courtroom." But then I decide not to share this thought and to just continue with my planned speech as I smirk and say:  
>"Oh, but you should care. For you see, the Millennium Ring that your husband bought for your son comes from exactly that time and it was filled – with my Ancient Memories." The two look shocked, the man's glasses even going so far as to fall off part of his nose and I ask: "How else do you explain my knowledge of Egyptian customs?"<br>And the two share a shocked look before I continue and say: "I myself am a spirit turned human, I am the guardian of the Millennium Ring and due to the many years I have served as the Spirit of your son's Millennium Item, has destiny now seen it fit to deem me a new title – one I now see I must take quite seriously indeed."  
>"And what title is this?" The man asks, apparently not liking the slight I brought in against him as I had glared while stating how I would take my new duties seriously and I snap back: "The title of being your son's Darkness, his Yami and his guardian. And I have living proof that Ryou has accepted this and wishes for my aid."<p>

By now I have everyone intrigued and I send a quick wink at the old man to tell him he should play along before I say: "If you would all just wait outside and watch through the window. Your anger for each other will just cause for you to start shouting again and I cannot have that if I wish to prove to you that Ryou trusts me."  
>The parents grumble, but while Mr. Moto sends them angry glares, does he send me a questioning glance, one I ignore as I simply wait for them to close the door behind them and by the time they have opened the curtains to the room, have I turned my back to them and walked back to where I sat on Ryou's bed minutes earlier.<br>I then softly lie my hand on Ryou's and while focusing on the bond that I feel growing between us, do I make sure my voice is loud enough it can be heard on the hallway as I say: "I did as you asked, my Hikari. Your parents are in this room no more. You can wake up now, little one. Wake and open those pretty little eyes of yours."  
>And while I hear a hum of wonder from the hallway, along with a huff of disbelief, does a smile grow on my face as I see Ryou scrunching up his nose, the appendage moving almost too cutely as if the boy is ready to sneeze or something, and then a pair of chocolate brown eyes slowly open, the boy turning his face my way.<p>

_**Ryou's POV**_

I've been feeling all day that something amazing and something terrible would both happen on the same day, but until my parents had come in shouting with Mr. Moto had I been unable to properly understand my own instincts as the arrival of the powerful spirit had made me fear for him to be the something terrible.  
>However, when my parents had come in, stating they were ready to let me sleep for good, had I done the only thing I thought I could do while my body refused to wake up; I had focused on the magical item I had sensed around the spirit's neck and had reformed the mental connection that we had shared when it was still around my neck.<br>I had instantly asked for the spirit's protection and had heard him whisper something, something of which I could only understand the last few words: "So I may protect that of my Hikari." And while I wonder what could have happened to the spirit for him to now suddenly call me such a sweet word, had I felt the magic activate.  
>The body had appeared, I had been able to sense this and I had also been able to hear everything going on as, while my eyes remain closed and my body had not moved an inch in three months, I had still been able to hear everything said around me and sense anyone who had come to my bed, including all of my friends and my current guests.<p>

Then the spirit had – together with Mr. Moto – argued against a decision my parents had tried to make earlier on and when my parents went into the manner of how Yugi was raised, did I wonder if Bakura had suddenly changed sides as from then on I only heard Mr. Moto getting louder and louder as he vocally fought with my parents.  
>Knowing no one can win a vocal competition against two lawyers had I been shocked to feel a pair of fingers going down my left cheek and I had realized that Bakura had simply lost interest in the argument and had gone to caress my cheek instead, an action that was shortly after followed by him softly petting my hair.<br>By this time had the shouting between my parents and Mr. Moto gone almost too loud for my ears to take and had it almost caused me to fear the hand in my hair and on my cheek, had it not been for how soft, warm and caring the motion had felt and I had instinctively pushed my face to the right to trap that hand under my cheek.  
>After this had I received further evidence that the Spirit had appeared in Light of the something good my instincts told me would happen as he again uses that simple title and asks: "Little Hikari, can you hear me?" And I had pushed all of my muscles in my head to nod yes, before I decided to lie my fate in his hands in the hopes of better times.<p>

"Take them out." I had almost mentally shouted at the Spirit, hoping that if I could hear him, he could hear me and while I had felt all kinds of emotions that I simply couldn't understand and that made me realize that there is both a mental bond as well as an emotional one, do I try not to let the Spirit know just how scared I truly am.  
>Scared, because Yugi had explained me everything and had assured me that the Spirit was gone, even if it was here on the bed with me right now. Scared because I had heard how Yugi and Marik have been going downhill for a long time. Scared because I just don't know how much longer I can stand to live with parents such as my own.<br>The Spirit had then returned his focus to my shouting parents and had effectively not just silenced them, but also insulted them afterwards, actually throwing in a mental insult as well when mother exclaimed how she and father were lawyers and while I know I would have giggled had I had control of my body, did the Spirit continue.

It had played with my parents, had apparently not even been affected by their anger, which I can understand thanks to his memories of the Millennium Puzzle's Spirit glaring at him rush past my mind real fast – and he even gone so far as to call himself my new guardian, stating that what my parents were planning fueled his need to be one.  
>Not sure whether or not a Spirit like this one – even if I had by now seen the evidence that he is indeed not the Spirit I had come across countless times over the last four years – can truly be a guardian to me, do I still feel relieved when the Spirit actually tricks my parents into leaving the room before he returns to my side.<br>There I had felt and heard the evidence that the Spirit is indeed ready to become my guardian as he had laid his hand on mine, the touch warm and gentle and while he spoke to me, had his voice become warm and deep like a waterfall cascading down on the rocky surface of a rainforest river on a summer day and he had told me:  
>"I did as you asked, my Hikari. Your parents are in this room no more. You can wake up now, little one. Wake and open those pretty little eyes of yours." The idea of him thinking my eyes to be pretty had me weirded out a little, however when I had opened them and I had gazed upon the spirit had I seen something I had not expected.<p>

Warmth. A warm glow seems to radiate out of the Spirit's eyes, proving to me just how happy he is to lock eye-contact with me and the warmth of his gaze almost takes my breath away, his hand squeezing mine happily, do I feel new fear entering my system as my father barges into the room in a rampage and shouts:  
>"That's nothing! You did absolutely nothing! He woke by himself!" But the warmth is quick to leave Bakura's eyes when he looks at my father and the glare he sends him is almost cold enough to make me shiver as Bakura snaps: "In case you went deaf out there in that hallway, did I most certainly do something, you dimwitted lawyer."<br>My father looks shocked and Bakura says: "I proved myself worthy of Ryou's trust. Something you can't say you did, because here you are today, willing to kill off your own son for no reason whatsoever. A true father would have guarded his son, sent the best medicals after him and held him close in his arms as he slept.  
>You barely visited the last 3 months he was here and when you do, you actually have the audacity to call others bad friends for not visiting a few times more. You call yourself a parent? I call you the worst form of a human guardian I have ever seen. And I've seen what guardians can do, I was a pretty bad one myself not so long ago."<p>

And while I want to object to this, do I know I cannot as the times where Bakura had me under his control were pretty bad indeed, but then I remember one time he had me and say: "At – at least –." But my voice fails me and while my father looks at me shocked, does Bakura rush to me, filling some water in a glas and softly raising my head.  
>Amazed at how easily this Spirit can change between his anger at someone and his care for me, do I give him a weak smile, hating how three months of sleep have weakened my body, even if all my vital organs are still intact and Bakura softly whispers hushed sounds from his lips as he presses the glass against mine to help me drink.<br>The cold fluid of water feels wonderful to my throat and I happily gulp down the whole glass, Bakura lifting the glass a little here and there to make sure I don't get too much in one go and when the glass is empty, do I smile at him as he sets the glass away, lies my head back down before he lies a hand on my cheek and asks:  
>"You were saying, Hikari?" And I whisper: "At least you knew when I needed protection." This confuses the spirit and I say: "The first Battle City Finals duel, remember? I was really weakened by that weird stab wound in my arm and you came and took over, so you could take the hit from Sliver instead of me."<p>

At this I expected to see a grateful smile on my Spirit's face, but instead does the Spirit turn his head down and say: "Perhaps, but it had still been my idea to stab you in the first place. It was all part of the idea of me and Marik so that fool could win the hearts of your friends. I was as much responsible for your pain as he."  
>But to this do I focus all my strength on my arm and raise it so that my finger lies itself against his lips and say: "Yet you never sent my soul or that of my friends to the Shadow Realm, did you? You perhaps once played with us, but that is sincerely the worst I can remember you doing with us. You never truly hurt us."<br>But again the thief shakes his head and says: "I almost killed the Pharaoh. I actually defeated his Ka-Monster when it was Sliver himself and then made him fall off a cliff after taking his Millennium Puzzle. I did harm your friends, little one, but I will no more. I will not harm them and I will from now on, protect you at all costs."  
>This makes me smile as I had been trying yet again to gather energy, if only to push myself up so I could embrace him and make him keep silent. The man then goes and pulls the blanket up and over me a little more as he says: "And right now, that means giving you the chance to heal from your sleep as it has drained your body from its strength."<br>And while I feel amazed that he can actually sense that, does the Spirit turn angry yet again as he turns to my father and says: "I will be here from this day forth until my Hikari has his full strength back. People like you will not be necessary during that period of his life – if ever." He hisses at the end, shocking my father senseless.

"You – you – you can't tell me I can't visit my own son!" The man shouts and Bakura smirks as he says: "I can, because no one who knows Ryou would believe you to be his father. Also, you were the first to ever encounter the Millennium Ring, is that right?" The man looks confused but nods and Bakura goes on as he asks:  
>"Tell me, did your wife have any contact with the Millennium Ring before Ryou did?" And another nod makes me realize what the Spirit is talking about as I ask: "You – you don't think?" And Bakura answers: "That there is still the darkness of my cursed side possessing your parents' bodies? I have all reason to believe that."<br>Everyone – including mother and Uncle Moto who have come into the room – look at him shocked and he says: "My Cursed Spirit has proven many a time in the past that it can willingly change hosts. It even once tried so in Duelist Kingdom and part of it took control of your friend Tristan, while another part came to rest inside the Puzzle.  
>The idea that it had done this long before you even touched it or called upon its powers is not one I find unreasonable, regardless of the fact that that spirit should have been destroyed three months ago, when the Pharaoh defeated Zorc and with that sent my Spirit to the Afterlife for a proper Ancient Egyptian Cleansing of Darkness."<p>

This makes me look at my parents and I ask: "So the chance of them having been affected by the Spirit earlier on isn't all that bizarre to think about, seeing the evidence lying in past events, however because the Darkness was cleansed from you, it should have been cleansed from my parents as well as that happened 3 months ago.  
>So how is that possible then?" I ask in the end and Bakura sighs as he says: "In all truth, little one, am I simply guessing, hoping to find a reason as to why they don't share your kind heart and gentle soul. To have been cursed by the Darkness of my evil side sounds like the only reasonable one, even if it came undone three months ago."<br>This makes Uncle Moto and me look down and then father shouts: "ENOUGH ALREADY!" We all look at him shocked and he glares at us as he says: "Cursed Spirit? Evil side? Do you even hear what you are SAYING? You're talking witchcraft, something that disappeared with the bloody Middle ages, how could it happen now?"

But to this Bakura seems to have an explanation as he retorts: "How else do you explain my sudden appearance in the room while you had entered to it being empty bar your own son?" And the man steps back in shock, while I wonder if my headstrong Spirit or Top-Defender Father will win this head-on-head battle.  
>Then Uncle Moto suddenly steps in as he coughs and says: "Whether or not magic exists is not the matter here. The matter is that Ryou is awake and that he needs rest for his body to heal. It's after all like Bakura said, sleeping this much can actually tire one out instead of letting them rest up. We should all leave and let Ryou rest."<br>And while my parents glare the man, does Bakura simply seat himself in a seat next to my bed, part of me missing his presence on my bed, and he says: "I stay with my earlier statement; I will remain by my Hikari's side until he has healed. And before you even try, I can simply put the ring around Ryou's neck and vanish inside it."  
>And while the idea of wearing that ring scares me, even while I know that has been cleansed, does Mr. Moto nod, accepting that he apparently can't change the Spirit's minds and then he asks a question I wasn't expecting: "Tell me Bakura, if you have returned to Ryou, does that mean the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle is back with Yugi?"<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, Marik is up next!<br>**__**He will be a hard one to write about, but after that, do I plan to go back to Yugi. There will still be adventures happening in the POV's of Ryou and the others – and I have another evil parent plan for someone else – but Yugi's bond with Yami is definitely my main source of interest for this story and will have most of my focus.  
><strong>__**Now, the reason why Marik will be a hard one to write about. First of all, I really want to express the craziness of the Yami's with Malik, but I don't want to make Malik crazy enough he can get arrested or anything – I need my limits. Second, Marik has been the one physically affected and I need time to write that down.  
><strong>__**Wish me luck,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	7. Careful Observations

_**Hey everyone,  
><strong>__**Okay, it took me a while to think of how to start this and I definitely have trouble writing down someone's thoughts when their bodies are completely incapable of moving – I know Ryou had the mental thing, making him incapable of anything but thought, thus the coma – but I will still do my best as I really, REALLY, love this story!  
><strong>__**Wish me luck,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 7<br>****Careful Observations**  
><em>

_**Marik's POV**_

I don't know what to do. My sister doesn't know what to do. No one seems to know. How am I ever supposed to stop doing what I am doing here, sitting on the floor of the Japanese Historic Museum, watching the wall that has the staircase leading to the door of the room and not being able to say a word or move a muscle.  
>I can't even understand why as it seems as if the Pharaoh's departure broke something inside me, something I felt had been torn for some time now, but that the Pharaoh's presence had somehow made me capable of handling. This I just cannot understand as the Pharaoh's departure meant the end of my Family waiting to fulfill their sacred duty.<br>Still the departure had, since it occurred, made me feel lost, alone and terrified of the world outside this room, where a copy of the Stone Tablet depicting the Pharaoh is presented to the people of Domino City, while the original has been moved back to its first resting place, the spot where the Pharaoh defeated Zorc the Dark one.

Then, like many times before, do I hear my sister come over with another specialist, something she has been doing on and off since I came to sit here, my legs hunched up against my body and my eyes looking only straight ahead, my eyelids blinking barely a few times every ten minutes yet still proving that I am still alive.  
>My sister and Odion – my adoptive brother – have been good to me ever since it first happened, opening my lips and allowing me to swallow simple meals they already put through the blender before feeding me, talking to me and keeping me updated and even, when they feel like I need my sleep, closing my eyes to give me some rest.<br>I know my body is being a burden to them like no other, yet not once while my eyes were open, did I see anything but worry and concern show in their eyes every time they would either near me, have a glance at me or turn around and look at me as they had finished whatever chore they felt was necessary to keep my body alive.  
>But the problem is, I don't fully feel alive anymore, and it's not because my body has refused to move in the last near three months. It's because part of me feels like it's somewhere where it doesn't belong, somewhere where it needs another form of itself to guide it back to me and I just can't seem to figure out what this could mean.<br>To make matters worse, does my body refuse to make any kind of move that can help me rely my message to my sister or Odion, thus causing them to worry more and more and causing for this feeling to grow inside of me, every day a little more. Even my Family's Shadow Powers refuse to work for me any longer, making me feel empty inside.

I look as Ishizu comes forth with yet another specialist, who tries to move my body, yet the reflexes constantly makes my body revert back to hunched up legs, arms around the knees and eyes straight ahead seeing nothing. This even happens while the man tries to sit on my legs and I can't even laugh at how he falls on his back.  
>Wishing with all I had that I could get some kind of clue as to what could be wrong with me, do I wish yet again for a chance to explain Ishizu in some manner or another what is going on inside me, when it seems as if my prayers have been heard as the man dusts himself off and then suddenly seems to see the Tablet of the Pharaoh.<br>The man hums and asks: "Tell me, Mss. Ishtar, why did your brother chose this room of all rooms in the Museum?" And my sister answers: "We are both Tomb Keepers, sir, and we were raised with the message that one day the Pharaoh would return to fight a great Evil." The man nods, his eyes still on the Tablet and he asks:  
>"And did this – happen recently?" Ishizu nods and says: "It occurred several times over the last four years. Three months ago was the Final Battle between the Pharaoh and his Arch-Nemesis. The Pharaoh won and then fulfilled the Ancient Ceremonial Duel that allowed his soul passage into the Afterlife after 5000 years."<p>

The man seems amazingly interested, not unlike some of those punks that try to get Ishizu's attention only to either hit on her or try to hurt her afterwards only to have a good laugh and he asks: "And this – this Pharaoh? Did he ever come across any other spirits? Perhaps any who were – dare I say it – violent of nature?"  
>Now Ishizu looks at me and my eyes widen as I think: "No, it can't be!" But finally it seems as if the Puzzle of my mysterious ailment makes sense, something that makes me want to cry in despair as that is the last solution I have ever been looking for. My sister seems just as resigned to this discovery as I feel as she sighs and says:<br>"Yes, yes he has. My brother was under the influence of one such spirit only two years ago. The Pharaoh was able to disperse of him, yet it's been since the Pharaoh's own departure that this has been happening to my brother. The two events just can't be linked." But then the man shocks us both as he actually asks:

"Mss. Ishtar, what does this line say in your words?" And he aims for the line of Hieroglyphs that end with the carved out cartouche – the ancient Egyptian way for Pharaohs to write down their names. My sister walks over, the corner of my eye enabling me to keep her in my sight and she bends herself as she speaks and says:  
>"<em>For one day the Pharaoh shall return for his name and to fight the Great Threat.<em>" But when the man shakes his head, does he shock the both of us and he says: "You are indeed close, Mss. Ishtar, but not quite. The true line reads _For the Spirit who seeks the Pharaoh's name must first return to defeat his Greatest Threat."  
><em>"The Spirit?" My sister asks vocally while I do so mentally and the man nods as he asks: "What do you know of Pharaoh Atem? And forgive my questions, but since Yugi Moto came out about his Puzzle have I found myself most intrigued with the Ancient Egyptians, especially those who were under lead of Pharaoh Atem."  
>My sister nods and she says: "I know that the Pharaoh once in the past defeated Zorc the Dark One, but that he did this by erasing his own name from existence in the memories of mankind and that he then locked what was left of Zorc through the Millennium Items away inside his own Millennium Puzzle and –."<p>

"And there you have your own answer, my dear." The doctor says and while I wonder what kind of man this is, does he say: "The Pharaoh locked Zorc and his Memories inside the Millennium Puzzle. That is something that is known to anyone researching Pharaoh Atem, both before and after his name became known yet again.  
>The only point is, my dear, that he only put his memories inside there. No ancient Hieroglyphs have ever written of him putting more of himself in that Puzzle, yet memories scattered like that needed a Guardian once the Puzzle would be put back together or their power could unleash Zorc to this world all over again, do you understand?"<br>My sister nods, while my minds whirls and my heart aches as I think: "I was after the wrong person! I sent innocent people to the Shadow Realm for nothing! That spirit that my body is now seeking contact with once again was never supposed to exist! So why is my body searching for it? And how can I end it?"

I then notice how the expert seems to have gone to sit in front of me again and he asks: "Am I right to assume that your brother also came in contact with a Millennium Item?" And my sister answers: "The Millennium Rod, one that has been in our family for generations." The man nods and hums and asks her then:  
>"Do you know what the two human appendages are that are most in contact with the powers of Light and Darkness?" My sister tries to catch my eye as she looks confused and the man says: "It's the hand and the heart. The hand can either slap or caress. The heart can either love or hate. Therefore they are the most easily affected."<br>"And the same can be said for Millennium Items?" Ishizu asks in shock and the man nods as he says: "I recall from my studies that the Millennium Ring has been switched between good owners and bad ones over the last 5 millennia. The bad news being that both Bakura and Alexander the Great were both more powerful than Mahad.  
>Therefore, their magic – and the fact that Zorc's memories were inside the Millennium Ring – affected poor young Ryou much more than the magic of Mahad ever could have, regardless of him having had the Ring for the longest of them all. However, I do believe that Mahad protected young Ryou by switching off his consciousness if needed."<p>

This shocks me, even if the whole thing makes perfect sense and then Ishizu asks: "But what does that mean for my brother? He too had a Darkness inside him, but – but that was sent to the Shadow Realm years ago!" The man nods and asks: "And your brother has been getting into this state since?" He leaves the question hanging.  
>Dreading for my sister to realize the same as I did, does the woman answers: "Since the Sprit left." And the man nods, while my sister looks at me terrified and asks: "But – but that – that monster is in the Shadow Realm now? How on earth am I to help my brother if his evil maniac side is the only cure available – or better said <em>not<em> available."  
>The man sighs and says: "You know what I learned from studying all that Ancient Egyptian History in the last three months, Mss. Ishtar? That battles such as the one between Atem and Zorc – or better said – their outcome, are never without reason. That battle was meant to end the way it did, for it created the Spirit of the Millennium Puzzle."<br>"And with that the Spirit that controlled my body because I became greedy for the outside world. But what does that mean for my future?" Goes through my mind like crazy and the man sighs as he says: "Events like that always come back for a reason, my dear. Just keep your brother close to this tablet and everything will work out."

And with a quick wink my way – apparently meant to ease my worries – does the man leave, Ishizu having a hand on her chest as she looks at the departing man as if he walks away with her last hope – which I can't really blame her for as there is no way I am letting my body sink back into the Shadow Realm like my soul did years ago.  
>She then hugs me and whispers: "There has to be a way, Marik. There just has to be. If that man says that your body is failing to respond to your destiny in life because it is awaiting the other half of your soul, then I will do everything I can to get that maniac back here and back with you, one way or another. On Ra's golden glow, I so swear it."<br>And this finally makes me capable of letting my body respond as I actually get myself to cry tears of grateful joy, Ishizu hugging me in a mix of happiness at seeing my response and hidden despair as I know that my sister has no idea of how to enter the Shadow Realm, let alone how to retrieve that maniac I call my Other Half.  
>Then suddenly something happens neither of us were expecting as the expert's voice sounds shocked and asks: "Oh, were you waiting here long, good sir?" And from the shadows of the doorway comes a man I had not been expecting – one I am only too well capable of recognizing, even if that doomsday aura is no longer present in his form.<p>

_**Malik's POV**_

Unlike my fellow Yami's am I a little more hostile and careful where it comes to approaching my Hikari and when I feel myself getting closer, do I make sure to arrive just around the corner, the magic of the Millennium Rod making me actually shape a body of my own, which relieves me as I do not want to take over Marik's body anymore.  
>This mostly because I really do want to take this chance, this chance that was offered to me when Imay appeared in the Shadow Realm and the chance I have been awaiting since I was first cleansed as normally the Shadow Realm doesn't cleanse an evil soul, it makes it suffer for all of its crimes, causing it to be in agony for all eternity.<br>Yet the Shadow Realm had cleansed me and when I had seen Bakura and had heard his tale of him having undergone the same cleansing around the same time as that the Pharaoh apparently defeated Zorc a second time – in his memories – did I know something was bound to happen – and a day later I was proven correct.

Imay had appeared and while Bakura had faked to have been in the Shadow Realm for a while, did I know that the Spirit of the Millennium Ring had felt the same fear for how much time had passed as the newbie Yami-Spirit and I had joyously watched as they had both rushed off, before using enough of the Rod's magic to follow them.  
>We had all split in Domino City and while I had been able to see Bakura head for the Healing District of the City and Imay for the Dueling District, had I been slightly surprised to find myself heading for the History district, actually ending up in a rush for the History Museum, the same that Ishizu had been working at years back.<br>This realization had made me force some of the transportation powers to slow down and I had been able to direct my own descending location, causing for my body to appear where I desired instead of near my Hikari – which had only worked out for the best as it had given me the chance to learn more of my Hikari's fate.

Apparently had Marik been subjected to a hollow body, one where his mind was still working and his heart still beating, but where the link between his conscious mind, his ability to make thoughts into actions and his body itself had been ripped away by a force I can only assume has to be our bond broken by the Shadow Realm.  
>Feeling the bond reform, I know Marik can't sense it himself as his senses to his own body alone have been numbed and for this I am glad as it allows me to learn more from people, such as the fact that Atem – the Pharaoh – is now a known legend, that Yugi has come clean about the Puzzle and that the doctor before me studies Ancient Egypt.<br>The things the man speaks about certainly intrigue me deeply, but for some reason do I feel furious over how close he is to my Hikari and I think: "It must be that I have accepted our bond. I just have to let that pretty little Egyptian over there do the same – and make sure his sister doesn't skin me alive for even trying to."  
>I shudder as it's obvious from Ishizu's insistent asking that she is desperate to find a method to heal her brother's illness, something I'm sure she has been doing for the last three months now and I try to keep to the shadows, my Rod being activated to sense out Odion's presence if it draws near as I don't want to confront him either – not yet at least.<p>

Then I get a spark of new hope that I might not be skinned alive just yet as the doctor seems confident that I will find my way to Marik and while Ishizu seems not to share this confidence, does she still warm my newly beating heart as she promises Marik to do whatever she can to find me, the girl actually swearing on Ra himself.  
>Then the Egyptian Medical expert, that had told me so much and that had actually made the chance of Ishizu not skinning me alive on first contact lessen slightly, makes me want to send him to where I just came from as he looks at me shocked and actually has the decency to ask: "Oh, were you waiting here long, good sir?"<br>And I resign myself to punishing him later, as I know Ishizu will not like it if I hide myself any longer, nor do I myself like the idea of keeping myself from my Hikari any longer either, especially as – upon entering the room fully – I get a chance to see just how bad my Hikari has become affected by my and the Puzzle Spirit's absence.

There is light shining in the boy's eyes, there are tears of happiness and hidden despair running down his cheeks, his legs seem encased by his arms like a pair of steel bars and his whole body just seems to scream at me to encase him in my own, to whisper sweet words to his ear and to never in all eternity, let go of him again.  
>Giving into the urge a little bit, I keep my eyes on Ishizu at the same time as approaching the beautiful little Light – that so obviously needs my help, even if I'm not sure I can be of any – and at the same time keep my senses out for the Millennium Rod in my hand to sense out whether or not Odion could be approaching.<br>Ishizu sees the Rod, yet – as a sign of my trust in her and in what has just been spoken about – do I simply hand her the Rod, barely even looking at her as my eyes are yet again drawn to my Hikari, who seems to actually have enough connection between his mind and body to have his eyes follow me as I walk through the room.

Knowing I will probably screw up, but feeling like this will be the best method I can try to get him to work his precious body again, do I drop myself onto my knees next to him and encase that pretty little frame in my arms, Ishizu seeming to wonder whether or not to attack me as I ask: "Hey Hikari, ready to get up?"  
>And just by those words do I feel the power of our destined bond flow into the body next to me, Marik's body heating up against me as his senses seem to reattach themselves together between his brain and the rest of his body and Ishizu asks: "How – how did – how did you do that?" Her voice hysterical at the end.<br>I shrug and say: "Sometimes, a Yami has to follow his gut." And with that do I show her an example, as I press my face into that wild, beautiful blond hair of my Hikari-Pretty – as I just can't think of a better nickname for such a cute, beautiful Light – and take a deep breath of his scent while my face is buried thick within his mane.  
>"Was that your gut as well?" Ishizu asks again, apparently determined not to let me off the hook that easily and I say: "A Yami's got to do what a Yami's got to do. I'm sure Bakura and Imay will agree with me." And to this does it seem as if my Hikari Pretty finally has full control back over his body as he turns to me and asks:<br>"Bakura and WHO NOW?" And I smirk as I think: "Three Yami's of who two were once vicious criminals and one who has never known anything but Dueling and fighting evil bad guys and monsters out for either power or to destroy mankind." And while I again press my face in Marik's hair, do I think: "This will be fun!"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Okay, that's it!<strong>_

_**I know Malik's part is AMAZINGLY SHORT compared to that of Marik, but I didn't want to let loose on all that craziness just yet. After all, Malik is a tactician and tacticians know when to go crazy and when to take a step back – and with an angry older sister, you better take a step back, that's at least a fact.  
><strong>__**Anyway, next we'll get back with Yugi and Imay, but then a few hours later, so that I can come up with a good story of how the three Yami's and the three Hikari's met. It will definitely involve some Yami squabbling – blame Ashray1 – some Hikari's wondering what they got themselves into and some HikarixYami romance.  
><strong>__**Also, yes, there will be events where the Hikari's will be seduced by their Yami's to break the rules, but as I am still building characters and whatnot, will we have to wait and see where this will happen as I don't want to sound cliché and do what Ashray1 did, let them skip class to make out or something like that.  
><strong>__**Anyway, a few of the things that will come up in the rest of the story – at least before the ending – will be Imay and the others getting a birthday, going on their first REAL holiday – the canon one in Canada doesn't count, was interrupted – and learning what the world of the 21**__**st**__** century is all about – good and bad, beware.  
><strong>__**Okay, enjoy**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	8. Shopping Shocks

_**Hey everyone,  
><strong>__**Chapter 8 is up! and while this was supposed to be a Hikari's Meet chapter, did I just not feel it and did I instead change it a little to better suit my need and wishes for this chapter, mostly because for a while I didn't really know what I wanted for this chapter and afterwards I didn't know how to put that into the chapter, in words.  
><strong>__**Now I do, enjoy,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 8<br>**__**Shopping Shocks**_

_**Yugi's POV**_

It's been a while since Pharaoh Aknamkanon has come to give me his gift, to give Yami an official Birth certificate – that I had to help him put together later – and to let me know that both Bakura and Malik had been thoroughly cleansed, that they had helped Yami find the Puzzle and that they were now Yami's too.  
>I had been shocked beyond words and Yami had had to sit me down and explain me what had really been going on with the two, how they had been born Yami's, but that they had been influenced by Zorc and Marik's father and how that had made them turn against their Hikari's when they first met Marik and Ryou.<br>I personally had been a little doubtful of all this – especially seeing all the fresh memories of what those two had done in the last four years, so Yami had suggested that I go and try to give either Ryou or Marik a call and see if we could meet with each other somewhere, so we can talk everything out once and for all.  
>I had been hesitant to do so and had told Yami what had happened with Marik and Ryou since his departure, yet Yami had been confident that – like with me – the two of them had come back around now that their Yami's had reunited with them. In the end we had agreed that I would first contact Ishizu to get her opinion.<p>

The woman had been very happy to tell me that Malik had indeed returned and that he was behaving very careful around her and that he had even given her his Millennium Rod as sign of a peace offering before he had – with a single sentence – gotten Marik back on his feet, but also that the Yami was apparently clingy to her brother.  
>I had then, after that, called Ryou and the boy had actually picked up his phone and told me the most amazing tale, of how Bakura had talked his father into the ground, how the Yami had turned from angry and vengeful to his parents to worried and caring to him and how he had actually pulled Ryou out of his sleep-induced state.<br>This all had definitely made me feel a little better about everything, but I had told both Hikari's that I wasn't assured until I saw with my own eyes that they no longer meant any of us harm and while Ryou had wanted to protest, had I told him my reasons as I just wasn't sure whether or not they would go after my Yami all over again.  
>The young Brit had been more than understanding about this and we had agreed that they would keep their Yami's indoors until we could all meet for a Hikari get together. In the mean time had I decided that I needed to address a problem that would start to present itself once night had passed and morning had risen yet again.<p>

Yami. He only had one set of clothes on him and while that had never been a problem before, was it now very much a problem as the Yami was a few inches longer than me. I had asked Ryou and Malik if they had this problem as well and when they confirmed this, were they quick to give me their Yami's sizes as well as their own.  
>By now grandpa has been informed of all that has happened, mostly thanks to him having been present when Bakura arrived, and has he been kind enough to take us to the mall, where the man was quick and kind enough to give us directions to a special store, telling us we best shop there because of their high privacy values.<br>Knowing that Yami is going to be experiencing a lot of things that are new to him as he never really paid attention to it while he inhabited my body, do I give Grandpa right and lead Yami over to where Grandpa told us to go, Yami looking around in amazement and even being a little hesitant to go along with me on the escalator.  
>I can't help but smile at this, while part of me is trying to see if anyone is watching our strange act together and ask: "Yami, don't you want to be up here with me?" Knowing I can swoon the man that loves me as much as I love him and I get proven correct as the man smirks at me and – carefully – steps onto the escalator.<p>

Then, a second after he has fully stepped onto the moving staircase, is Yami again beside me, his arms wrapped around my torso and his husky voice asking: "You were saying?" Making me giggle as his mouth is near my ear and his breath tickles the hair that I have tucked behind it before I help my Yami off the other end of the staircase.  
>Then, in front of us, do we see a large open store that has glass windows covering almost all of the walls, bar the ones I can see inside through the glass doors and I can't help but think: "How can a store have high privacy values and at the same time be so open and public to the eye?" Before deciding to find out for myself.<br>I take Yami's hand and walk through the doors, Yami looking shocked when he sees that, upon me stepping onto the doormat, the doors actually open by themselves and I say: "Welcome to the 21st century where almost everything works on electricity." And Yami keeps looking behind him at the doors as we pass them.

Then a saleswoman, who has the most amazing golden-blond hair I have ever seen going down to her mid-back with several beautiful hair bands keeping it all together, walks over and says: "Welcome to the Alcove Shopping Mall, where we have all kinds of outfits, tailors and no one will never know you shopped here!  
>How can I help you?" At this I can't help but shoot another wondering look at the glass windows behind me before I shake my head and ask: "Do you believe in reincarnation?" And the woman makes my day as she says: "You bet I do, I'm a firm believer that if you lived your life the right way, you get a second chance to do so again."<br>To this I nod and say: "Well, three of my friends just got reincarnated as we knew them previously as spirits, but now they have bodies and we need a whole new wardrobe for them. My friends were kind enough to give me the sizes of two of them and the third – is this hot stuff behind me." I can't help but add in the end.

Yami looks at me in shock and the woman giggles as she says: "Okay then, just give the sizes to Joanne and Katie over there and I'll go and help your little friend here. Are there any materials or colors that my friends need to keep in mind?" And I quickly envision all three Yamis and how they'll react to what, before I say:  
>"Just make sure you keep to silk as much as possible, maybe a few capes for my friend here and one of the others and the other one with a cape is also Egyptian, so they need to keep his tan in mind when they chose colors." The woman smiles and nods before she suddenly takes Yami's other hand and says: "I'll take care of him."<br>And while Yami sends her a scared and then me a worried look, do I use my connection with him to mentally whisper: "She's a tailor, like the ones Atem used to have in Ancient Egypt." And through the link can I sense Yami calming down as he starts to walk with the woman with a more calmed pace as I decide to look for the other 2 ladies.

Looking around the amazingly gigantic store, that has racks build onto racks and that has several mannequins showing off the latest fashion and outfits sold here, do I suddenly see two woman talking together over a few outfits that are stashed near them and I walk over as I ask: "Excuse me, are you Joanne and Katie?"  
>"Did Marie send you?" The one on the left asks, her brown hair cut short and brushed to cover up parts of her cheeks and I nod as I say: "I have some sizes here for a few friends of mine that just got reincarnated from spirits to bodies of their own and they need an entire new wardrobe." The woman nods and the other asks:<br>"Anything we need to keep in mind?" And I quickly repeat what I said before: "They prefer silk over anything else, were reincarnated from Ancient Egypt so are unfamiliar with any other fabric for cloths and the second one likes capes and has an Egyptian tan." The women nod and then the brown haired says: "You do cape guy."  
>Before she turns to me and asks: "Can I see the sizes for the other one?" And I quickly cut the paper that I used to write the sizes down in half, handing her Bakura's list of sizes and say: "Maybe a few long jackets will do as well, he used to wear those a lot." The woman nods curtly and leaves without another word.<p>

This makes me look at the woman in shock and then the other, who has strawberry blond hair with a hair band keeping her bangs out of her eyes, smiles at me and says: "Don't mind Joanne, sir, she just loves working with couples and hates it when she has to work with sizes only. She's still learning to sow and whatnot."  
>At this I nod, part of me wondering what it would be like for this woman to help me and Yami get matching outfits, and while I press down on this part as clothes shopping by itself is a whole new experience for my Yami, do I know that one day I will be back here to do so – maybe even with the other Hikari's and their Yami's.<br>I then hand the other piece of paper to the other girl – who I can only assume is named Katie – and she looks at it as she asks: "So this is for an Egyptian with a love for capes?" And I ask: "Remember the man Yugi Moto dueled in the finals of Battle City?" And when the woman nods, do I answers: "It's for him."  
>Making her smile as she says: "Good, I love a guy who has a lust for the darkside." Making me think: "As long as it's the protective dark type, I'm not against them either." And before I know it, am I alone in the store as the woman has rushed off to where I can only assume all the tailor fabrics and other equipment is stalled.<p>

Taking another look around the store and letting my hand flow softly over some of the shirts and pants that are near me, am I shocked out of my stupor as I hear another voice behind me, asking: "Can I help you?" And when I turn around, do I see a woman with spiky dark red hair of which the ends are cut very unevenly.  
>The woman tilts her head sideways as she looks at me and I say: "I'm just here to help my boyfriend and some new friends of mine get a new wardrobe, that's all. My boyfriend's already getting help from your partner, Marie, and Joanne and Katie have the sizes for my other friends, so I'm all good, thank you though."<br>The woman nods, but keeps her head tilted as she looks at me and asks: "You're Yugi Moto, right? The World Famous Master of the Dark Magician?" And while part of me wishes that I hadn't given my bodyguards the day off until I came back from shopping, do I nod, feeling slightly at ease by her looks and she asks:  
>"Ever wondered what it would be like to be dressed as him? The Dark Magician, I mean?" This makes me smile at the girl and I say: "Actually I once played a real life version of Capsule monsters and in it, I was able to fuse with Dark Magician, so I already know how it feels. And I also know how draining it feels when fused like that."<br>I then end, remembering how I had actually needed to rest for several hours after the first time I did this and then the woman hums and asks: "And what if I told you that you can feel like the Dark Magician without need of a game or fusing?" Making me look at her in shock and making me ask: "What – what do you mean?"

The woman smiles and motions me with her head as she says: "Follow me." Making me a little wary and relieved to again have Yami mentally by my side as I am actually hiding the Millennium Puzzle under my jacket and while I know that I will be able to fuse with Yami at a moment's notice, do I follow the woman.  
>She leads me past several rows and aisles of cloths and walks me over to a section that has the windows darkened by black laced curtaining that all have either a red, purple or dark pink trimming and while I look around with caution, do I suddenly notice how the racks are now stocked differently from before.<br>Instead of rows upon rows of shirts or pants or dresses, are there now plates of wood between each set of cloths and are all cloth-sets matching each other, some of them looking as if they came right of a fairytale, others looking perfect for a romantic night out between husband and wife and even a few sets of wedding dresses and suits.  
>Shocked that this store is so well set-out, do I now understand why Grandpa recommended this place and then the woman leads me over to a part of the store that is – I assume – in the south eastern corner from the door and she motions for two mannequins that are on top of the stack in front of which she stands and says:<p>

"See what I mean?" And when I look up at the mannequins, do my eyes widen as I see the two dolls wearing perfect replicas of the outfits of Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl. Looking at the faceless dolls, do I suddenly feel the need to see my favorite monsters once again, only to remember what has happened recently.  
>Then, as if my memories are magic that is being cast onto the mannequins, do I see the faces of my favorite monsters merging with the faceless bodies of the mannequins and the glares that are send down at me, make me do the only thing I feel like doing, surrendering my body and merging my soul with Yami yet again.<br>And so as I turn my head away from the two and the shocked saleswoman, do I focus on the Millennium Puzzle, on sending it back to Yami and do I shout: "YU-GI-OH!" Causing for my entire body to disappear into the Puzzle, for the Puzzle to disappear into a ball of light and for the ball to shoot itself back to its other owner.

_**Yami's POV**_

"This is definitely something I would love to do more often." Goes through my mind as I admire my new looks and clothes from one of the mirrors in the tailor department of the store, but just when I turn my back to the mirror to see if there are any interesting prints on the back of my jacket, do I sense its arriving presence.  
>Looking back ahead, do I see the ball of light, that I can sense holds the spirit of my beloved Yugi, shoot itself over to me and when it hits me, do I feel the metal of the chain that is wrapped around the Puzzle's ring lie itself against my neck again, while I feel the spirit of Yugi appearing behind me, his spiritual arms around my waist.<br>Turning my face to my Aibou, do I worriedly ask: "Akhu, what happened, are you alright?" And while I'm sure that I am getting some really weird looks from my tailors, do I ignore this in favor of my Hikari, who's soul shakes in my arms and who's voice whimpers softly within my ear as he seems to have been scared by something awful.  
>Looking around the department store for what could have done so, do I suddenly notice something in a section that had, temporarily, drawn my attention earlier and I realize instantly what has shocked my partner as I shout in fury: "Who in their right mind sets out <em>that<em> outfit for all to see!" And I aim a furious finger at the window.

There, the light from the black laced curtaining almost making me capable to see the actual face of the owner of the suit, is a perfect replica of the Dark Magician's Outfit, a replica of DM Girl's outfit right next to it and a woman with red hair and an arm motioning for the two outfits standing beside it, her face shocked as she looks at me.  
>"You mean the DM and DM Girl outfits, sir? They're very popular amongst fans of the King of Games, even if we haven't been able to sell as much as we used to, for some reason." One of my tailors then answers me and while I try not to let my anger be sensed by my Hikari, do I glare at her and ask:<br>"Never watched his duels in the last few months, have you?" And when the woman shakes her head, do I say: "Then I guess you couldn't know either that the DM and DM Girl have turned against Yugi and have become his own Duel Monster Tormentors." Shocking both the woman at the mannequin and the tailor in front of me.

I then turn back to Yugi and allow for the Puzzle around my neck to send him my love and comfort, while at the same time allowing for the magic inside it to suck all anger and other dark emotions out of me and I whisper: "It's okay, Yugi-love. It's alright. I'm here, Aibou. I'm here. It's not them, Akhu, it's not, it's just mannequins."  
>This makes Yugi's soul eyes open slightly and I make sure that my body shields him from seeing the two yet again as he looks up at me and asks: "Why do they hate me, Yami?" That one question breaking my heart as I remember how close Yugi was to Dark Magician, even when he had him as an opponent in our final duel.<br>Pushing this thought away, do I pull Yugi's spirit closer against me and whisper: "They don't hate you, Aibou. They just misunderstand you. They broke the bond, remember? They did, not you. And it will be them, Aibou. It will be them that will again try to restructure the bond. You will see, Aibou. I promise you will see."  
>And Yugi presses his face again inside my chest, his arms around me proving how much he wishes for my words to come true and while I again hate what the last three months apart have done to my precious light, do I decide to distract him from his current fears as I ask: "What do you think, Aibou? Do I look good to you?"<p>

_**Yugi's POV**_

I know Yami just wants to distract me and I can't feel more grateful that he does so as the idea of spending even more time apart from my favorite monsters is like reliving the last three months that I have had to live without my Yami. Yet I don't pay attention to this thought as I instead take a step away to look at Yami's looks.  
>And when I do, do my eyes widen at how absolutely amazing he looks as he wears an amazing dark brown jacket that has soft golden buttons at one side and sharp golden buttons at the end of his sleeves. Under this does the boy wear a forest green shirt and a pair of jeans that hug his torso and make his legs look endless.<br>Looking at what I always called Spiritual Perfection in a human form with these amazing cloths on, can I barely get myself to utter a single word, let alone a sentence, but then Yami softly grabs my chin and makes me look up at his perfect crimson eyes yet again as he huskily whispers: "Your silence speaks volumes of your approval."  
>Making me smile at him before I turn back to the saleswoman that tried showing me the DM and DM girl and ask: "Do you have this in my size?" And while Yami laughs at my words, does the woman keep looking at him in shock, reminding me that I have turned spirit and making me focus on again getting my own body back.<br>Feeling the metal of the Puzzle reform back around my neck, do I smile and ask: "Do you have this in my size?" The woman shaking her head in shock before she looks from Yami to me and I mouth: "Puzzle." My finger motioning for the Puzzle around my neck and the woman nodding before she says: "I'll – go see."

"I think you broke her, Akhu." Yami then softly says and I ask: "Why the constant Akhu?" And Yami happily answers: "It's the ancient Egyptian word for love, Aibou. I guess it's the part of me that – no matter how shortly – believed myself to be Atem that now allows me to know these ancient titles of love and affection."  
>This makes me smile at him, while the memory of him believing himself to be Atem is instantly reminding me of his departure and I shake my head, Yami softly lying his hand on my cheek as he whispers: "I will help you forget, Aibou. Never more will you have to remember that terrible event that set us apart."<br>And this makes tears of gratitude appear in my eyes as I look at him before the woman that led me to the outfits comes and asks: "Is this to your acceptance, perhaps?" And when she shows me the same outfit as the one that is currently on Yami, do I smile only to hear Yami hum thoughtfully and making both of us look at him.  
>"I'm sorry, Aibou, but – I just don't think that will look good on you. I'm not sure why, but something just tells me that outfit won't fit your beautiful little frame right?" This makes me look at the outfit again and while I try to envision myself in it, does this attempt to do so make my eyes constantly drawn back to Yami and I say:<br>"I – I guess you're right. I'm trying to see how that will look on me, but I can only draw up how good it looks on you. I guess now that you and I have separate bodies, it's time for both of us to find cloths that just fit us right, instead of cloths that will look good on both of us, regardless of who of us controls my body."

And Yami nods, before suddenly Joanne sticks her head around the corner, shocking the other woman into dropping the outfit she's holding and she asks: "Wait, are you couple-shopping?" And Yami and I share a glance as I say: "Well, we were really here for Yami, Bakura and Malik, but – I guess a few matching outfits won't hurt."  
>And Yami nods, before Joanne squeals and asks: "Marie, can I please have this one? Then you can have my little tailor trouble. I don't even know what colors to pick for this dude anyway and he apparently likes long jackets and you know how bad I am with those. Oh please, Marie, can I please take this one from you?"<br>And while I look at the woman in shock does the tailor, who I now recognize as Marie from before, sigh with her eyes closed and a content smile on her face as she asks: "You're not going to stop asking until I give in, are you Joanne?" And the other woman laughs as she grabs Yami's hand with one hand and mine with the other and says:  
>"You know me too well. The outfits and sizes are in the third room on the left from here." And with that does she rush out of the dressing room and back to where the other saleswoman just walked away from. But then Yami pulls loose and asks: "Are you crazy? Are you seriously pulling us back to them? Didn't you see what just happened?"<p>

The woman looks shocked and I look from Yami to her to the mannequins of DM and DM Girl, only to realize that they're a little away from where we're heading and I ask: "You're just taking us to the couples section, aren't you?" And the woman nods at me quickly, while I can sense Yami's growing anger boiling through our bond.  
>This makes me smile at my love and I hug him tightly as I say: "Yami, the couples section is more than those two mannequins. I saw all kinds of outfits together that are already organized on how well they match. She just wants us to go through those so she pulled us here. She knows not to show us those mannequins again."<br>And under the slowly calming glare of my Yami, does the woman nod in confirmation, making Yami's tense shoulders relax as he wraps an arm around my waist and whispers: "I just don't want you getting scared off in this store again, Aibou. We're here for our future together, not for them to scare you for their own little gain."  
>But then I shake my head and say: "They wouldn't gain anything from that, Yami, as it would make them lose a customer. Don't worry about it, just by looking at your outfit should prove that these people are professionals. It was just a mishap that happened earlier and that's only because these people don't watch my duels, that's all."<p>

And while I wonder why I am defending these people who are pretty much total strangers to me, does Yami calm down with one last hiss of: "Don't take us to them." At Joanne, who nods at us with a promise showing through in her nod before she asks: "Are there – are there any – any other franchises you're – ehm – against?"  
>And while I can sense Yami's anger changing into confusion, do I shake my head, before the words of the woman spark an idea deep within my mind and I say: "No we're not, but I can tell you now that I am a very, <em> very, <em>big fan of the Disney franchise, especially its romantic part such as the stories of the Disney princesses and their princes."  
>This changes the soothing fear on the woman's face in an excited interest and she asks: "You wouldn't be open to cross-dressing now, would you?" And while part of me wonders how Yami would respond to this, do I decide to use his ancient heritage as a sign of good luck and playfully retort: "I wouldn't be not open to it."<br>The woman giggling before she says: "Oh, I just love couples like you guys. Adventurous and amazingly powerful." And while I can't help but feel that those words describe the amazing man beside me to a T, do I allow for the woman to – for the second time now – drag us over to the couples section of the store.

_**Fifteen minutes later**_

"I cannot believe I told Joanne that Yami is reincarnated of an ancient Pharaoh. How could I not realize that this would happen if she heard that? Well, at least she chose my favorite Jasmine outfit for me to wear." Goes through my mind as I stand in a fitting room big enough for three and look at my new outfit in the mirror.  
>The outfit comes from the second Aladdin Movie and is a complete light purple outfit of shirt and pants, the shirt disappearing into the pants through help of a beautiful belt that has a blue diamond for a buckle and that flows off to the back of my upper legs, while the top is wrapped around my upper chest and arms with another band.<br>Joanne even went a step further with the outfit by putting a pair of pure golden earrings, that are able to be clipped around my earlobe, on, giving me the beautiful golden necklace that Jasmine is known for to wear and putting a beautiful soft purple headband onto me to keep my hair out of my face, even if it wasn't fully successful.

I then quickly peek at the one small strand of hair that is currently tipping out from under the bottom of the beautiful blue diamond that is enclosed into the hair band before Joanne helps me into the sandals the princess wore with this outfit and then Yami asks: "Yugi, are you all set in there, my love?" Making me giggle.  
>Then, hoping with all I am that my earlier thoughts were correct and that Yami will indeed accept my new outfit thanks to his own Egyptian heritage, do I step off of the platform that Joanne used to help me into the outfit and to size it up to my body frame and step out, my hands clasped in front of me and my eyes closed in hopeful fear.<br>A loud gasp is the only answer I receive as I push the curtain aside and step out of the dressing room and I decide to – at the very least – brave a look at what the tailors have put my beloved partner in, making me peek between the eyelids of my right eye, only for my heart to stop as I see the new outfit of my partner.  
>A white shirt with brown cuffs covered at the chest and torso with a dark blue vest with golden trim. Over this at the waist is a beautiful Bordeaux red waistband wrapped around my partner's waist a total of three times, while under this he wears a pair of sky blue pants that widen at the knee and that are covered with iron brown boots.<br>All in all my partner rocks Aladdin's outfit from the King of Thieves like no tomorrow and I know that if it weren't for the fact that I know his actual incarnation, that I would have believed him a worthy son of either Cassim or – Ra save us all – Bakura himself, a thought that both excites and terrifies me at the same time.

Then suddenly does something happen that takes all thoughts out of my mind as Yami rushes over to me, wraps his steel-like arms around my torso and kisses my lips with a passion that takes my breath and my ability to think straight away with a single move, his entire body encasing mine as his love overwhelms my mind and heart.  
>I wrap my arms around his amazing neck, once again reveling in the fact that he finally has a body onto which I can hold and which I can actually actively touch, and when Yami parts, does he only pull his face far enough from mine to whisper: "You look so beautiful." Before he crushes our lips yet again, sealing any retort from my lips.<br>Finally oxygen becomes a must and Yami parts yet again, his body only going so far that he can hold me at arm's length as he keeps looking at me, his crimson eyes dark with love and adoration and I smile at him, relieved that he is so accepting of this before I pull him close again and whisper softly into his ear:

"If you like this then wait until you see other Disney Princess outfits." And the way that Yami's arms tense around me in excitement is enough for me to giggle as I pull loose from his embrace and dive back into the dressing room, pulling the curtains closed behind me and keeping them closed as I can sense Yami wanting to follow me.  
>The spirit turned human tugs and pulls at the curtains in my hands, but I giggle and say: "No can do, Yami. This outfit was just a test to see if you would accept me to wear cloths like this. Now that I know that you do, will you just have to go back to Marie and get your wardrobe back together while I let Joanne do the rest."<br>And I quickly wink at the woman, telling her silently to not say a word as I want to surprise Yami, my mind already going over what other princess dresses could get that kind of reaction out of my Dark partner and the woman giggles alongside me as I hear Yami moan and ask: "Can I really not enjoy your beauty a little longer, Akhu?"  
>And I giggle at his little wining tone before I say: "No, you need a new wardrobe, now go get one." And I hear Yami grumble as he seems to walk back to the section of the store where I found him when I pushed the Puzzle back onto his form. Not trusting the Dueling Master not to be sneaky, do I peak through the curtains.<p>

There I see that Yami is indeed leaving and I sigh in relief before I turn around and ask: "What other DP outfits do you have?" And Joanne giggles before she asks: "How about all of them?" Shocking me and exciting me as I can just imagine how Yami will respond to me in Belle's ball gown or perhaps Mulan's Chinese dress.  
>Quickly throwing out these suggestions to the woman, does she squeal with her hands in front of her face and I say: "I'll list the princesses, you get the dresses you think will suit me best." And the woman nods before she rushes off, obviously over the moon with the idea of helping me into outfits like that.<p>

_**Another hour later**_

The shopping for new cloths was a bigger success than I could have ever imagined and while I had been excited to see my Yami in new outfits, can I now only think of the amazement and love that will be visible on his face if he were to see my new outfits, which I decided to only wear during special occasions such as birthdays.  
>Yami, on the other hand, had been very determined to try and get me to wear one of the outfits already, yet I haven't given him an inch since we left the store and even when Yami tries to use the Mental Link between us, do I block him out from seeing the memories of me checking my new cloths out in the mirror of the dressing room.<br>By now Yami is walking beside me, a cutest of cute pout on his gorgeous regal face and his hand clasped with mine as we're walking back to where grandpa agreed to pick us up once I gave him a call. However, just when we turn the last corner we need to get to the parking lot, does a loud female voice shout:

"HEY LOOK, IT'S YUGI MOTO!" And instantly I regret not having taken my bodyguards along as a whole army of girls scream as they jump out of their seats and tables at the café that is just around the corner and run at me, my body instantly turning around and dragging Yami along as I run with all my speed in the other direction.  
>Yami runs behind me, his eyes wide as he looks at the growing amount of girls that are chasing us and he asks: "Who are all those girls?" And I shout: "Fans that want a piece of the King of Games!" This makes Yami look at me and he asks: "But you've been King of Games for four years. Why are they after you now?"<br>And I ask: "Can I answer that when we're not about to be trampled by them?" Before sharply turning another corner and diving into the bookstore, my body instantly bending itself to hide behind one of the large aisles of history books and magazines and my ears ringing as I hear the shouts of the girl army pass us by.  
>Yami's eyes are wide as he hears it too, while the amount of large thick heels and the amount of girls that are in the group make it so that the ground trembles as they run by and when they're finally around the corner as I can hear their voices diminish, do I sigh in relief, before a jovial voice behind me shocks me yet again:<p>

"You really hide around here way too often, Yugi." And when I turn around, do I see the owner of the bookstore, a jovial man with a large beer belly, balding grey hair and a pair of small square glasses in front of his chocolate brown eyes standing behind me with an amused smile on his face and one of his hands on the aisle next to me.  
>I smile at the man and say: "I hide here because those girls don't expect the King of Games to be a book nerd, so they completely ignore this place when they run by. It'll take them maybe two or three shopping mall streets before they realize that they're chasing air, I presume." And the man laughs as he says: "I give you right, lad."<br>Then he sees Yami and asks: "And who's this fine fellar?" And Yami, who still has his hand in mine, stands up and with a regal tone of voice says: "My name is Imay, sir." The man nods with a large smile on his face and says: "I'm Augustine, the owner of this here bookstore. Any books you might be interested in?"  
>Yami shakes his head and then I release his hand to dig into my coat pocket and grab out my cell phone. Opening the contact menu, do I quickly scroll down to my grandpa and press the call button before putting the phone to my ear, while Mr. Augustine goes back to work and Yami looks at the phone in my hand in confusion.<p>

"Yugi, why are you calling me, son? You just did five minutes ago." Grandpa then answers my call and I say: "Grandpa, I'm calling because about two minutes ago, I was again being chased by a horde of fans. Can you change your spot from the North west to the west parking slot? I'll call Kaiba and have him send over my bodyguards."  
>Grandpa hums and asks: "Is Yami still with you?" And I smile as I say: "Yeah, I dragged him along as I ran. I wasn't about to leave him behind, they might accidentally think he's me and I don't want that happening." And Grandpa laughs before I end the call and scroll back up my screen to Kaiba's number, pressing it and calling him.<br>"Kaiba Corp C.E.O. Seto Kaiba here." The man curtly answers as he always does and I say: "Kaiba, it's me. I was shopping with Yami because he needed a new wardrobe and I forgot to call Jargon before I left the store. Can you ask him to head for Augustine Bookland?" And while I hear Kaiba groan, does he say:  
>"Count on it, stay there until he arrives, got it?" And I hum loudly to let him know I understand his orders before he asks: "So, did you leave that spirit of yours to those hounds?" And I laugh before I say: "No, I'm not you, you know?" And a playful grunt is the last thing I hear before Kaiba ends the call from his side.<p>

"You and Kaiba make jokes now?" Yami then asks in shock and I nod as I say: "He became my agent regarding my fame and made a big show about everything that happened. Since people know that I used Duel Monsters to save the world, Kaiba's sells have increased and so has my fame, hence those crazy girls just now."  
>This makes Yami nod and then he asks: "So Kaiba's finally a believer, is he?" But I shake my head and say: "It's just that he finally realized how profitable the Ancient History is for his company and you know how Kaiba is when it comes to his company." And while Yami's eye roll says enough, do I turn worried yet again.<br>Worried, because Kaiba has been busier with work than I have ever seen him. Worried, because if he's not my agent, he's in control of Kaiba Corp and if he's not doing that, he's checking up on his email or other important documents. Worried, because even Mokuba has told me he has become scared of his brother's work ethic.  
>Then suddenly do I feel Yami's arms around me again and he whispers: "What brings such a dark frown to such a beautiful face?" And I sigh as I say: "Kaiba has thrown himself more into his business than ever before. I'm – I'm scared that he's working himself into his own grave and even Mokuba seems to agree with me."<p>

This makes my beloved look at me in concern and he asks: "And there is nothing we can do? Have you tried telling him this?" But to this I roll my eyes and ask: "Why do you think Mokuba confided in me. Even he doesn't get through to Kaiba anymore. The worst of it all – I – I saw this all happen once before in my life."  
>This shocks Yami and he asks: "You have?" I nod and say: "I was eight years old and friends with someone who was two years away from college. He knew that the last year of High School would mostly be revision of all he had learned in the years before, so he studied his ass off for weeks and months on end.<br>He didn't even eat or sleep properly anymore and after about two months of this, did he have a mental breakdown from which his body couldn't heal, so the doctors that took care of him after he collapsed had to tell his parents that the best way to help him was to put him down. I – I was there when they were told."

I end with a breaking voice, my mind remembering Michael and all that the amazing young man did for me in the two years that we knew each other. As I remember this, do I feel Yami embracing me from the front and do I feel one of his hands softly carding through my hair while the bond between us allows him to take my pain.  
>Feeling grateful and blessed for the umpteenth time to have someone with who I can share a mind and heart, do I try to pour some of my pain into the bond, Yami using his own control over the connection to take in as much as I offer him and he whispers: "I will make sure Kaiba doesn't end like Michael did, Aibou. I promise."<br>And I hug Yami tightly, hoping with all that I am that – for once in his life – Kaiba will indeed listen to the ancient spirit. Then suddenly do I hear Mr. Augustine speak and he asks: "Can I help you?" And I hear Jargon's voice as he says: "I'm here to pick up Mr. Moto and his partner." To which I walk over to the man with a grateful smile.

* * *

><p><em><strong>And that's the end!<br>**__**Now for all those of you who think Cross-dressing is wrong – GO TO ANOTHER STORY! For all those who think Yugi is going too quick – he won't dress in the DP outfits unless there's a big celebration such as a birthday or Christmas and I don't plan for either to occur in this story anytime soon.  
><strong>__**Now Jargon, Michael and Mr. Augustine are OOC as you can probably guess and the flock of girls? I mean, really! Yugi had been King of Games and he had a huge crowd during the KC Grand Championships, of course a flock of fan girls had to show up some time, so I decided to make use of it for my story's sake.  
><strong>__**Now next chapter will be Yami and Kaiba and it will also mean the start of KaibaxJoey, something I think has been WAY overdue. As for why I had Yugi pick up the cloths for Bakura and Malik? He doesn't trust that they won't rampage the entire store just because they get put into something they might not like or something.  
><strong>__**Okay, that's all,**_

_**Venquine1990**_


	9. A True Conversation

_**Hey everyone!  
><strong>__**I'm sure I got some hate! Reviews over the whole Cross-dressing part, but it sounds cute, I love Disney Princesses and I'm not entirely great with designing cloths for myself, so using something like that to describe what Yugi and Yami could wear when Yugi's not in school sounded reasonable enough to me.  
><strong>__**Also, in Ancient Egypt, you can't deny that the outfits of that period of time looks like a pair of dresses. I mean, in Night At the Museum 2, the bad guys constantly question the so-called Pharaoh Kamunrah about his tunic, which in the end even he calls a dress, just check the movie trailer if you don't believe me.  
><strong>__**See yah,**_

_**Venquine1990**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Chapter 9<br>**__**A True Conversation**_

_**Yami's POV**_

Jargon picked Yugi and me up and took us back to Grandpa's car, where the man took the steering wheel from grandpa and was about to take us home, had it not been for the promise I made to my Aibou just before the bodyguard had arrived at the bookstore. Instead of that, had I requested him to take me to KaibaCorp.  
>The man had been a little hesitant, but upon a quick shared glance with Yugi and a mental speech of: "My promise." Had Yugi ensured Jargon that Yami had the right idea and that he and Grandpa would just wait in the car for Yami to come back. The man had agreed and had driven us to the gigantic building in the west of Domino.<br>There I had nodded at Jargon and Grandpa and had hugged and kissed Yugi with passion, part of me not wanting to part with my Hikari and another part telling to just get going and make him happy and the second part of me had won, making it so that I am now in front of the secretary of Kaiba himself, telling her to let me in.

The woman is a little hesitant and I can't really blame her as I look quite a lot like Yugi and anyone inside this company must know about the rivalry going on between my sweetest of sweet Aibou and the owner of this entire building, yet I also know that I need to get to Kaiba to make true on my promise to that sweet Light.  
>"Miss, I can assure you that not only am I not the client of your boss that you think I am, but also that I am here in his name and that I only want what is best for both your boss' client and your boss himself. Even you, as his secretary, can't deny that Kaiba has been working himself into an early grave and his client simply asked me to stop that."<br>I then tell the woman, her eyes widening as she hears me speak and she nods, a small grateful smile on her face as she presses a strange button on her desk and says: "Mr. Kaiba, I have an important client for you waiting in front of me. Should I send him through, sir?" And the woman winks as she says _important client_.  
>This makes me smirk and I hear Kaiba's voice coming from the strange panel with holes in it that is next to the button the woman pushed as it says: "Don't let it wait, just bring him or her in already." And I smirk, not even feeling insulted that Kaiba is questioning my gender and instead head into the double doors of the office.<p>

Kaiba's office is grand and open, with large white walls, a gigantic screen covering most of the left wall and the back wall being nothing but windows that almost overlap each other, while the office furniture is nothing but a purple couch, a glass coffee table, Kaiba's desk and his own chair – with Kaiba sitting in his chair.  
>The man seems at work at what I recall is called a computer and while part of me wonders how such a thing works, do I decide to use Kaiba's lapse of focus on the outside world as a chance to see just how right Mokuba and Yugi could be regarding the man's health. I sit down at the couch and while trying to be evasive, look at the man directly.<br>And what I see shocks the living daylights out of me. Kaiba's clothes are wrinkled and his dark purple jacket – that he hasn't worn since Duelist Kingdom – is tearing at a few parts along the trim. His hair is filthy with sweat and his bangs are sticking out all over the top of his face. And to finish it up has his face turned wasted.  
>There are bags of a good week if not two under the man's eyes, his sharp blue gaze has eroded to nothing more than a dark sea blue gaze that seems transparent and unfocused – as if the man is seeing the screen, but not what he's doing on it – and the skin of his cheeks has turned hollow, proving he hasn't eaten in a while.<p>

Shocked that this has actually happened to a man that was once the top of class in looks and business, do I wonder if my departure has hurt more than just my beloved partner and I painfully think: "How much workload has Kaiba put onto his own shoulders after I left? And is there still time to save him from himself?"  
>But then I grab myself back together and shake my head, knowing I can't give up after promising Yugi that I would help Kaiba and I stand up again, none of my movements seeming to even register with the man in front of me and I glare, realizing that Kaiba is further lost in his own mind than I thought and I shout: "KAIBA!"<br>Shocking the man and making him look up at me, his hands frozen over some of the buttons on his computer and trembling, proving all the more that his body craves something other than work. This makes me glare at the man all the more as signs like these would never go unnoticed by either Mokuba or Yugi and I say:  
>"Just look at yourself, Kaiba. Is your work really that important to you? Do you really plan to work yourself into an early grave? Tell me, when was the last time that you actually had dinner?" But the man doesn't answer a single of my questions and I think: "Is he even listening?" Before I decide a different approach.<p>

"I am here, Mr. Kaiba, on behalf of the Medical Staff of Kaiba Corporation. We are sincerely worried for your health and have received news that you have skipped meals and even refused to come home from work. I am only here to see if these reports are indeed true?" I then ask the man, hoping to get a response this time.  
>Yet Kaiba keeps looking at me, the dark blue of his eyes starting to worry me and I think: "Is he even still here?" Then I turn my gaze from the man before me to the computer in front of him and think: "He responded when he heard his secretary voice through that strange device. Perhaps I can use that to get through to him."<p>

And with that, hoping that the third time will indeed be the charm, do I focus on the powers of the Millennium Puzzle that I sense is still near me and whisper: "Allow me the voice of the woman behind me." And when I feel the Millennium symbol shine upon my forehead, do I know that the Puzzle has headed my prayer and say:  
>"Mr. Kaiba, I have your lunch here, sir, and Mr. Mokuba has asked at what time you'll be home tonight?" And finally does the man respond, but not how I envisioned as he turns back to his computer and says: "Put it on the coffee table and tell Mokuba I'll be home after he's gone to bed. Now don't bother me anymore."<br>And this final sentence makes me know just how high the stakes really are and makes me march over to the desk of what was once my greatest rival. I walk around it, push Kaiba back into his chair and shut the computer down with a loud snap of the device, Kaiba's shocked gasp the only response I get to any of this.  
>I then glare at the man and say: "You're coming with me right now." And before Kaiba can even so much as ask: "What?" Do I grab his arm and lift him out of his chair, intending to drag him with me like Yugi dragged me along when we were being chased by the girls. Only my plan fails when I am not even five steps away from the desk.<br>Upon these steps, do I feel Kaiba's body sagging in and instantly I turn from walking away from the desk to catching Kaiba as he falls down from his own lack of strength and I grunt as I try to lift the man from where he half lies on the ground over to the couch that I sat on earlier, an effort that isn't helped by Kaiba's weak form.

Lying the man on the couch on his back, do I look at Kaiba, who now has his eyes closed and seems to be breathing with a lot of effort as if staying attached to the computer gave him life energy or something and I turn to the computer yet again, wondering if the machine could somehow be cursed by Shadow Magic.  
>Then I hear a grunt coming from Kaiba and turn my attention back to the man, deciding that the investigation into his computer needs to wait until later and when I see Kaiba's face contort in pain, do I worriedly lie a hand on his forehead, only to pull away a second later as Kaiba's skin feels to be burning with fever.<br>This makes me look at the man worried and while hoping that he won't sag down further or fall off the couch, do I run for the door through which I came and shout at the secretary: "Get the medical staff here on the double! Kaiba is running high with fever and he's sicker than I expected! Hurry!" I shout to shock the woman out of her stupor.  
>The woman nods, but instead of rushing off, do I see her reach for her phone. Hoping that he's planning to – as they call it – call for the staff to come, do I turn back to Kaiba and hurry back to his side, wishing beyond words that Isis were here as the ancient Priestess could perhaps have told me how to heal my friend.<p>

Then, feeling like I can't do anything else for the man until the specialists come, do I decide to just make myself useful where I can and after a last glance, do I turn from the still sweating and panting Kaiba to his computer, activating the magic inside me and using it to sense the device for any traces of Shadow Magic.  
>Finding nothing but strange wires of plastic and metal and other mechanical parts that make me feel confused and befuddled, do I wonder what could have made Kaiba turn out like this and I think: "Could it be that he should have never become Yugi's agent? Or is there more to this story than I could know?"<br>And I again turn to the panting man, walking back to his side and lying another hand on his forehead, not to check his fever, but to focus on his person as I again activate the Shadow Magic within me and whisper: "Show me what bothers you, my friend." And the answer to my questions astounds me if nothing else.

_**Memory world**_

_Kaiba and I are both inside his own mind, that much I can tell, yet I had not expected to be in the memory that leads to my duel with Yugi, let alone be in the part where the whole gang is taking the stairs down to the Ceremonial Dueling Stage and the Millennium Stone. Looking around, do I see my friends standing still.  
><em>_Everyone seems focused on Téa, who I can only assume is the first to have stopped walking. "You got to use the little girl's room?" Joey then asks and Téa answers: "Not quite. I was just wondering why we had to rush into all this so soon. This could be our final chance to hang out with the Pharaoh before he leaves us for good."_

_This makes me look at my friend with a worried look on my face, but then I focus back on Kaiba for a second, who seems not at all worried or even caring as to why he's here, before I hear Tristan say: "That's true. I was so pumped up for this duel, I forgot this might be his last one." And then the hurt tone of my love speaks:  
><em>"_Yeah, me too." And while I look and see how my little Yugi looks down in pain and Joey looks up to the side, trying to hide that this whole thing is hurting him, does Ishizu step forward and say: "My friends, I know how difficult this must be, however Yugi and the Pharaoh must carry out this battle ritual as quickly as possible.  
><em>_If too much time should pass, our window of opportunity will close." And while again wishing that I had known the truth at that time, do I hear my lovely Yugi speak: "We all know how you feel, Téa, but this is what's best for the Pharaoh. He doesn't belong in our world and now his spirit finally has a chance to go home."  
><em>_And while the words of my love make me wonder just how he felt about me to say that, do I feel as if Yugi is lying to himself, just to make Téa feel better. I then look at the girl as she says: "You're right. Let's do this." And then Joey suddenly proves to me just how caring and loyal the blonde really is as he speaks and says:_

"_I probably don't say this as often as I should, Téa, but you know. You're one of the bravest people I've ever met. I know this is tough for you and I just want to say I'm proud." Then finally does Kaiba speak and I can almost sense that this is where all of his pain and sorrow of the last three months is coming from as he says:  
><em>"_If you dorks start holding each other's hands then I'm out of here. I didn't come to listen to your lame friendship speeches." And instantly Joey proves my earlier thoughts right as he retorts: "Maybe if you had some friends, you wouldn't feel that way!" And just by Kaiba's reaction to this, do I know I found the ailment.  
><em>_Then I realize just how bad the pain must be within Kaiba's heart as I hear Tristan say: "That was harsh, man." And Joey's retort: "Aw, like he didn't deserve it?" Makes me know just what Kaiba needs to stop working like a maniac and start living like a normal person again, making me feel confident to let go off the memory._

_**Real world**_

Feeling my body, spirit and mind come together again, I don't only feel the need to shout a certain blonde's ass into the next century, but also feel the even stronger need to get that same blonde here as fast as possible, something that is made easier for me as, upon me returning from Kaiba's memory, the door to his office opens.  
>From it, Mokuba and Kaiba's secretary run in with a pair of men and woman all dressed in white and with gloves on their hands and caps in front of their mouths. The four people in white quickly rush over to Kaiba, but I turn my focus on Mokuba and say: "I know what ails your brother." Making everyone look at me.<p>

"He's emotionally hurt, badly even, and it's all Joey's fault." This shocks Mokuba and he asks: "Joey, what did he do? He's been supportive of Seto since Seto became his agent." This makes me frown as I know that no matter how supportive Joey may seem, it might not ever be an excuse for the words he spoke that day and I ask:  
>"And did he ever apologize for that comment he made to Kaiba on their way to the Tomb of the Millennium Stone?" This confuses Mokuba and he asks: "Huh, what comment? They argued almost all journey." And I realize that, because such a thing is common between them, Mokuba might not have noticed what really happened.<br>"I mean the one he gave to Kaiba when they first entered the tomb. The retort Joey made to Kaiba's words about Joey and Téa supporting each other." This makes Mokuba tilt his head in thought and he asks: "You mean that one about no friends? Yeah, that one was hard, but Seto wouldn't take it that personally, would he?"  
>And I answer: "He would if he realized that he has been secretly part of our gang since the start of my journey. It's like Ishizu and I always say, Mokuba, even though Kaiba would never openly admit it, does he know deep down inside that he too was meant to be part of our journey and does he indeed believe in what is called his destiny."<p>

This makes Mokuba look at his older brother in worry and he says: "So to then hear from one of the strongest member of the gang that you're considered not to have any friends is like that same person saying you're not really part of the gang. That you're a loner even in that large group." And I nod and softly say: "Exactly."  
>Before I turn back as I too had turned to Kaiba when Mokuba spoke and say: "And that is why your brother worked so hard after he came back from Egypt. He tried to let his work fill up the hole in his heart that Joey created when he made that comment. He was, after all, on the verge of accepting himself as a part of us and then –."<br>Now Mokuba grunts and with tears in his eyes, does he say: "And then Joey goes and vocally throws him out. No wonder Seto got his feelings hurt. He finally had a proper reason to believe in destiny and that he was part of your group of friends and then Joey goes and proves him different, making him feel alone all over again."

And I nod before I say: "Which is why we need Joey to come over here as fast as we possibly can. Kaiba may have tried to let his work fill the hole in his heart, but instead of that did his work become an addiction that has now started to affect his body, while at the same time, his mind remains stuck on that one memory."  
>"Huh, how do you know that?" Mokuba then asks and I smile as I say: "How else would I know of that event? Remember, it was Yugi who was in control of his own body when we traveled to the tomb, so I wasn't even sentient when it happened. I simply used my Shadow Magic to dive into your brother's mind and found it."<br>Mokuba nods, while the other five in the room look shocked and runs over to the desk his brother set on earlier, picking up the cell phone that I only then notice is lying on the desk beside the computer and he quickly opens it and seems to use it before he puts it against his ear like I saw Yugi do when he called Grandpa and Kaiba.  
>A few minutes later does he say: "Joey, it's me, Mokuba. Listen, I don't have time to explain, but just get to KaibaCorp right now. Right now, Joey, it's urgent, please." This makes me realize that Joey is apparently not that ideal on coming and walk over, grasping the phone from Mokuba's hand and taking it for myself as I say:<p>

"Joey, I'm giving you two options. Either you come by free will or I will have Curse of Dragon pick you up. You have ten minutes to make your choice." And with that do I press the red button on the screen, feeling with my gut that this will end the call while Mokuba looks at me shocked and asks: "Can you really do that?"  
>And I nod as I say: "I still have my abilities over Shadow Magic like the Pharaoh had so long ago. Joey knows this because he saw me summon the Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl just a few hours ago." The boy nods and ten minutes later does Joey come running through the door, panting and angry as he asks:<p>

"Okay, I'm here. What did you want me for anyway?" And I answer: "To apologize to Kaiba." Taking Joey's breath with a single gasp as he asks: "Apologize? For what?" And Mokuba angrily shouts: "For that comment that you threw in his face when we went down to the Tomb of the Millennium Stone, that's what!"  
>Joey looks at the two of us shocked and I say: "Joey, do you remember what the last thing was that Kaiba did before we left the Memory Lands of Ancient Egypt?" Joey tilts his head and says: "I believe it was admitting that he believed that the whole thing of you and Yugi being two separate beings to actually be true, right?"<br>I nod and say: "Right, and to him, that was the start of believing in everything, including that he was part of our destiny and with that a part of our team of friends." This shocks Joey and then Mokuba goes on and says: "So when you said he didn't have any friends, he took that as a sign that he wasn't part of the team after all.  
>You hurt him that day and ever since then has he been throwing himself into his job just to deny to himself that it hurt. And now look at him!" And with tears in his eyes does he motion for Kaiba, who is still being treated by the four people with masks and gloves, a sight that shocks Joey the minute he lays eyes on it.<br>"He – he – he can't have been hurt that bad." Joey then says, but I can easily tell that the boy is trying to tell himself this instead of trying to convince us and I say: "He can and he is, Joey. I used my Shadow Magic to look into his mind and that memory was the first thing he showed me. Clearly it hurt him a lot more than you realized."

"Joey." A soft voice then suddenly says that instantly upon hearing it touches my heartstrings and when I look past my best friend, do I see Yugi, Jargon and Grandpa standing there, something that shocks me into asking: "Akhu, what are you doing here?" And the boy smiles at me with love and concern in his eyes as he says:  
>"I got worried when you took longer than you said you would and then I saw Joey running in here and I just knew something had happened. I got terrified that you and Kaiba had gotten into a fight or something and ran after Joey." This makes me feel guilty that I had my Aibou worry over me and I walk over to him.<br>Yugi keeps his gaze on me, obviously searching my face for any sign of whether or not I got hurt and while this makes me smile, do I wrap my arms around his waist and whisper: "No need to fret, my Desert flower, Kaiba's in too weak a state to even so much as try and punch me. There was no and there will be no fight."  
>This makes the pretty little thing lie his head on my shoulder with a relieved smile and I personally feel ridiculous for not realizing that – after three months of not being near me – the poor little thing fears the chance of losing me to whatever danger could cross my path and I vow to myself to keep close to him at all costs.<p>

Then suddenly do we hear something that shocks us all as we actually hear Kaiba groan, indicating that the man – who had actually fallen asleep after being laid down on the couch – is waking and I see the blue eyes of the man opening tiredly, proving that his body is still trying to go back to sleep, while their color still worries me.  
>The sharpness of the blue color has definitely returned somewhat and now has some resemblance to the edge that was usually visible in the man's gaze, yet the color itself is still as dark as the bottom of the sea and this makes it really easy to see that Kaiba's mind is still elsewhere, still stuck within that same memory.<br>Hoping that Joey can realize the same by looking at his rival, do I feel some comfort that Kaiba may be tired but hasn't lost his edge as he asks: "What are you dorks doing here?" And Joey wants to angrily retort, but I instantly send him a furious glare myself, telling him I have yet to lie down my earlier threat to him.  
>The blonde cringes as he sees this and then Kaiba asks: "How are there two Yugi's again? I thought that Pharaoh had passed away months ago." And I realize that Kaiba must have somehow forgotten the two calls he got from Yugi earlier, both the one explaining what happened at the end of his duel and the one at the mall.<p>

To this I step forward and say: "After entering the Spirit world did I discover that I am not at all the Pharaoh, but a true Spirit, born to protect and guard over the Millennium Puzzle and its owner. However, due to the strong bond between me and Yugi, did I become more and did Pharaoh Aknamkanon decide to send me back."  
>The man grunts and asks: "There's just no getting rid of you, is there?" And this, while I know that my threat is the only thing keeping Joey calm, makes me smile at my precious partner who stands a few steps behind me and says: "As long as Yugi stays alive and in need of my love, no Kaiba. I will not leave until he has left this world."<br>The man grunts and then Mokuba says: "Seto, Joey's here because he has something he wants to say to you. Isn't that right, Joey?" He then ends, sounding as fierce and powerful as his older brother and making Kaiba look at him with mild shock, while Joey cringes at hearing the hidden tone of anger underneath Mokuba's voice.  
>He then sighs and says: "Look – Kaiba – I eh – I'm sorry for what I said, okay? You know, back when we were – eh – guiding Yugi and the – I mean Imay – to their duel? I just – I knew Téa needed some comforting and I tried doing so, because – like I said – I knew this was hard on her and then you went and said those cruel words."<p>

"So you're saying this is my fault?" Kaiba then retorts and while Yugi rolls his eyes behind my back, does Joey cringe, obviously trying to keep in on his need to angrily reply and he says: "No, it's not. I admit, I went beyond too far with what I said and – well, as much as you and I will probably continue to argue, you're – you know."  
>This makes Kaiba raise a questioning eyebrow at the blonde, while Yugi seems to be holding back on his amusement and I send a challenging look at my best friend, making him send me a short glare back before he says: "You're as much part of the team as Tristan and I are – and definitely more than Bakura, seeing all you did for us."<br>At this Kaiba only grunts, yet I can already tell that the man is indeed getting better as the darkness in his eye-color is slowly receding and the medicals look from Joey to Kaiba before one of them, one of the men, coughs and says: "Mr. Kaiba, I'm afraid I must implore upon you that you take bed rest for the next four days."

"FOUR DAYS!" Kaiba asks in shock, only to suddenly start coughing harshly, lying back on the couch and even going so far as to push his legs up to his chest, curling up in fetal position as he coughs and coughs and it takes me only a second to realize that Joey has rushed out and back into the office room.  
>A second later is he at Kaiba's side with a glass of water and with his right hand helping Kaiba lift his head as he slowly but surely allows for the glass in his hand to tilt with the tip of the glass at Kaiba's lips, the man coughing and drinking ever so slowly as Joey actually mutters words of encouragement to his sick rival.<br>Kaiba drinks the entire glass down and finally after it stops coughing, Joey helping him lie his head back down as his other hand moves the glass to the coffee table and when Kaiba has his head down again, does Joey remove his hand from under Kaiba's neck, only to shock us all as he starts to gently caress Kaiba's hair.  
>"I – didn't ask – for you help – Wheeler." Kaiba tries to say, his voice almost failing him at several points and Joey sends me a furtive look before his facial features toughen up and he turns back to Kaiba and says: "Tough luck, Kaiba. You've been working yourself to death and you're obviously not planning to change that, so I will."<p>

He then turns to Mokuba and says: "Mokuba, call Roland and tell him to bring your finest Limo up front, preferably one with long benches and couches. Lady, go to whatever pantry or supply closet you have around here and fetch several blankets and pillows. You people, check Kaiba one more time and tell me how to heal him."  
>And while all of us look at the fierce blonde in shock, does he shout: "NOW PEOPLE!" Making Mokuba, the secretary and the medical people rush over to do their job, Joey jumping back from Kaiba's side as the four of them start to again examine every inch of the C.E.O, who is still looking at Joey with amazement.<br>Then Yugi smiles at Joey and says: "I'm not entirely sure what happened, but it sounds as if you're the one person Kaiba's going to need the most while he's at home resting, Joey." And while I wonder about the faint blush that now stains my best friend's cheeks, does he grumble: "And I'll make sure he knows it too, the stubborn fool."  
>To which I think: "Are you really one to call other people stubborn, Joey Wheeler?" But then allow for my gaze to sweep from him to the reincarnation of the Pharaoh's Ancient Cousin and feel a smile growing on my face as I know that my Aibou's right. There is no one better to help the stubborn Kaiba than the equally stubborn Joey Wheeler.<p>

* * *

><p><em><strong>Not what I planned, but it works!<br>**__**Okay, so for now Joey will be helping Kaiba during his bedrest, something Kaiba might try to take advantage of, but in the end was this exactly what I meant when I said that Yugi will help those two get together. He after all asked Yami to check on Kaiba and spurred Joey on to be the one to take care of Kaiba while he heals.  
><strong>__**Now I wasn't really planning on Kaiba being as busy as he was or for Kaiba to become ill like that as that wasn't at all what I had planned when I started this chapter, but I always felt that Kaiba was WAY too into keeping his company running, I mean, can you name one Yu-Gi-Oh episode where he doesn't talk about work?  
><strong>__**Exactly! So I decided that Kaiba needed someone to get him out of the working world and into the world of home, love and relaxation and because I am a total JoeyxSeto sap, did I decide that letting Joey teach this to the stubborn Dragon would be a good way to get them together – while throwing in a little humor where I can.  
><strong>_**_MERRY CHRISTMAS,_**

_**Venquine1990**_


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